Stripped
by ishIheard2day
Summary: Santana rediscovers who she is and what it means to love someone when she meets Brittany through a mutual friend. Set in their final year of college at NYU. A/U Brittana with snippets of Quick. Rated M for sweet lady kisses and foul language.
1. The Road Not Taken

**A/N: Here's a story that's been on my mind and in my dreams. So, I'm putting it to paper (figuratively). I don't plan on putting long author notes in every chapter, so please just bear with me on this one. Would I like feedback? Absolutely. I'm writing this more for me than anything else. So, if you enjoy it and choose to tell me, awesome! If you enjoy it, but choose to keep it to yourself, that's okay too. If you hate it, you don't have to read it, but I've still got love for you for attempting to follow along. **

**Characters:**

**Santana: 20 yrs  
Brittany: 21 yrs  
Quinn: 21 yrs  
Rachel: 21 yrs  
Mercedes: 22 yrs  
Kurt: 21 yrs  
Puck: 21 yrs  
Mike: 22 yrs**

**There might be other Glee characters that make an appearance, but for now these are the sure fire characters.**

**Author Disclaimer: I do not own Glee or any of the characters and/or work associated with any other entity. This is true for all future chapters of this story, so I'll use this author's disclaimer this one time to state this fact. **

**Now that that's out of the way, on to the story...**

Chapter 1: The Road Not Taken

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim

Because it was grassy and wanted wear,

Though as for that the passing there

Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way

I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

Santana sat in her room listening to music. The black blackout curtains were pulled tightly over the windows and her laptop cast an eerie glow against her slate grey walls. Her eyes slowly adjusted to the subdued lighting, still stinging from the crying she had been doing all evening. She thought a hot shower might help ease some of the pain, but walking back into the room, looking towards her desk, she realized nothing could stop the pain right now. So, still wrapped in her towel, she reread the email that had plagued her for the last two years:

_"I love you. Simply put, no matter what. There are things about you that I see that I want inside of me. __And I strive every day to let some of that rub off on me. Y__ou inspire me: your drive, your strength, your confidence, your love for your family and friends, your pride, your understanding of everything that's going on around you, your wisdom and knowledge, the way you own up to your opinions and have perfect reason and backing behind it no matter what. _

_There is just so much specifically about whom you are that I adore. The fact that you love me the way you do makes me so proud. The bond that we have is so deeply and intimately shared that I don't know what I would do without you. I appreciate you and I will never take what we have for granted. Ever. _

_I don't do this all that often, but I wanted to tell you how huge of a part of my life and my heart you are, Santana. I look up to you, respect you, and love you. I just wanted to explain to you how much you mean to me, and tell you a little bit more of the millions of things I adore about you. You've touched my heart, and have moved me in a way that no one ever has before. I just want you to know how much you're loved and cherished. Always. Love, Jen"_

Jen is the bitch that broke her heart, the one responsible for her pessimistic outlook on love. After meeting in high school biology, she and Santana had quickly become friends and study partners. Best friends. The "dynamic duo". They went on double dates together, had sleepovers, got drunk together, and even kissed a few times. Both girls were okay with being fluid in their sexuality, and growing up in the suburbs of Chicago gave them a diverse upbringing that didn't demonize sexuality.

In fact, Santana's parents took the news in stride.

_FLASHBACK_

_"Mami, Papi, I'm home." Santana walked into her house after having stayed at school to tutor a few sophomores in English Literature. The house wasn't extravagant, and was furnished and decorated in such a way that you wouldn't be able to tell that her family was wealthy. Her great-great-great-great-great (or something close) grandparents started a small business back in the 1800s that grew to become one of the most well known companies across the world. _Tootsie Roll Industries._ After her abuelo died it was passed to her papi and he took over the business and has been running it ever since._

_She heard papers shuffling coming from the office and stuck her head in. "Papi?" _

_Nicolas Lopez turned around in his large leather office chair and smiled at his only daughter. "Mija! How was your day at school? Anything fun happen? You're keeping an eye on your brother aren't you? He came home with a black eye last week, remember?"_

_Oh yeah, how could Santana forget. Rick Smith, hockey captain, had paid dearly for messing with her little brother. Granted, he didn't realize that Benji was her little brother at first, but that's just semantics. "Yeah, I'm looking out for him. That kid already apologized and won't be bothering him again. No one will bother him again." _

_Nicolas looked at his daughter with narrowed eyes, "I think you shouldn't tell me any more. The less I know the less I have to pretend I'm shocked about if you ever get caught. Though, I do need to know: will your mami or I be called into the principals office for this?"_

_Santana, with her signature Lopez smirk playing on her lips, crossed her arms lightly across her chest and chuckled, "not at all. Now you have plausible deniability." _

_Nicolas shook his head "as long as it's nothing illegal and you're staying safe and keeping your brother safe, then I'll leave you to do what you do. However, I WILL deny this entire conversation if your mother catches wind of this."_

_"If your mother catches wind of what exactly?" asked Maribel Lopez as she walked into the office and brought her husband the mail. _

_"Nothing dear, just talking about the boys hitting on our lovely daughter and her affinity to blow them off. I told her about how we met and that idiot you were dating before me." _

_Santana slowly started walking backwards out of the room. If she could escape before they realized she would be free to get dressed for Puck's party that he was throwing at a friend's house and that she planned on going to tonight. No, he's not one of the boys constantly after her. He's like her brother. He is her womanizing, trash talking, sailor-mouthed, skirt chasing, best friend type of brother._

_"Ma, 'Tana is trying to sneak out of the room!" _

_Santana turned around, right as her brother finished ratting her out, and fixed him with her best HBIC glare and cracked her knuckles. He squealed (yes, high pitch squealed) and ran up the stairs as Santana took off after him. She was halfway down the hall when she heard her mother yell after her "Santana, get back here. Your father and I need to talk to you about something." Well, that's never a good thing to hear from your parents. "She walked back slowly, trying to figure out exactly what she did wrong or what teacher might have called to have a "chat" with her parents about her behavior. She couldn't think of anything, and that was the scariest part- or so she thought._

_She crept into the room, eyes wide and innocent. "Yes, mami? I swear I didn't do it. It wasn't me… Did I do something wrong?" _

_Her dad spoke up first, "No mija, you didn't do anything wrong… this time. We just wanted to let you know how proud we are of you. You've taken on extra responsibility around the house, you've taken care of your brother, your grades are phenomenal, you're the most requested tutor by teachers and students, and you haven't been distracted by boys like your cousins and peers." She knew he was referring to her cousin Anna who had gotten pregnant last year by her on-again off-again boyfriend. _

_She was about to respond, when her mom cleared her throat "And we know that we're not the coolest parents around, but we want you to know that you can talk to us about anything. We will always love you and never judge you."_

_Now Santana was scared. She could handle being punished for kicking Rick's ass or for the verbal beat down she would give her teachers and peers if they got on her bad side. But, this was completely different. "Ok. Thanks? Ummm, I'm going to go shower and get ready to go to Puck's party tonight he's throwing at Jay's. I'll probably just spend the night there."_

_"Will Jen be there?" Nicolas asked._

_"Probably, why?" Santana questioned._

_"Because they want to know if we should expect you to get your 'sweet lady kisses' on in your room or if our ears are safe." Benji chimed in from the doorway._

_Santana's face completely drained of color. She hadn't known that they heard, she hadn't had the chance to tell them that she was confused by her feelings. And as she thought about it more and more, her defense mechanism kicked in and her hands immediately formed into tight fists. She turned, ready to pounce on her unsuspecting brother, but before she could take a step she was wrapped up in her father's arms._

_"Benjamin Alejandro Lopez, go to your room this instant!" Maribel yelled as she approached him at the doorway. She walked out of the office; intent on scolding his behavior and on letting her husband and daughter have a private moment while getting Santana a glass of milk and making her a grilled cheese sandwich. It was Santana's favorite comfort meal she knew her daughter would need it._

_"Mija, talk to me. It's okay to open up to me. Your mom is right, we will love you no matter what and we will never judge you."_

_"Papi, I don't know what's going on in my head. It doesn't make sense to me, and when I think too long about it I get a headache. I know I'm attr…. Attracted to girls." She stopped to chance a glance at him to gauge his reaction and noticed a slight smile. _

_"Go on, get it all out." _

_Santana nodded and continued, "I feel for girls what society says I should feel for boys. It's scary. I don't want to be different."_

_Nicolas looked at his daughter; she looked so defeated and small. He knew that she needed him now more than ever and he was at a loss for words. He and Maribel had suspected that Santana was attracted to girls from a very young age but they had never had a conversation about it until now. And now, his baby was breaking down in his arms. Her tiny body was wracked by sobs and shuddering trying to regain a normal breathing pattern. He sighed, wrapped his arms tighter around her, and whispered in her ear, "Don't let anyone ever tell you that it's not okay to be different. You are special. You are set apart for something amazing in your future. Right now you're scared, but I know that you will find a woman or man that makes you feel happy and whole. Ultimately, it's not about the gender of the person you end up with, it's about who makes you complete. So, don't label yourself, and don't pressure yourself into being something that you're not."_

_Santana's breathing was slowly returning to normal when her mother walked in with her tray of food. She looked at her daughter with a gentle smile, "Santanita, I brought you a grilled cheese, milk, and fruit. I love you, no matter what." _

_"Thank you, mami, I love you too. And I know you were probably listening through the intercom." _

_Maribel flushed at being caught and Nicolas laughed at his blushing wife. "It's okay, ma, I'm glad I don't have to repeat myself." _

_She took a bite of her food, then looked up and in-between both her parents, "So, you guys are really ok with this? With me being attracted to girls?"_

_"No matter what, we love you. We only want your happiness, and whether that happens with a girl or boy makes no difference to us. We know that world doesn't always work that way, but here in this family, we do. You will always have our love. A__nd whether you are dating a boy or girl, you should know I will bring my gun out to greet them at the door. I will threaten to 'endz them' if they so much as harm one hair on your head, and…"_

_"And I will kick their ass so hard that their grandchildren will feel it if they hurt my big sis." Santana turned toward the doorway and noticed Benji standing there with ice cream, two spoons, and the Lion King. _

_Santana would never admit it, but Lion King was her go-to movie when she needed cheering up. "Thanks, Ben. Though you should know that payback is a bitch and bitch is my middle name."_

But as quickly as her and Jen started dating, it was over. They went to NYU together, lived together, talked about the future together, and said it was love. Then "the incident" happened freshman year and everything changed. Santana caught her kissing another girl when they went out to the club with their friends. And the letter that was sent the week prior, that was once a source of joy, became a source of pain.

Santana jumped at the knock on her bedroom door and before she could respond, Quinn walked right in. "Hey San, I got your text earlier. You okay?" Santana shook her head and handed Quinn the mail she had received.

**SAVE THE DATE**

**08.10.2015**

**JENNIFER ALLEN**

**And**

**MACKENZIE WORTHINGTON**

**Are Getting Hitched!**

**Rochester, NY-Formal Invitation to Follow**

"That bitch! I'm going to go kick her ass, how the hell did she get our address?" Quinn stopped spouting off her questions and ran to hold Santana in her bed. "I'm sorry, S. Do you want me to call Puck? Would you rather have a girls' night? We can do whatever you want."

"Thanks Q. Right now I just want to curl up in bed and watch a movie since I have my last final exam of the school year tomorrow. But I plan on getting wasted all weekend long."

Santana looked into Quinn's hazel green eyes and tried to express how much she appreciated her. They had been friends since freshman year of college and became roommates after Santana and Jen moved out of their shared apartment. That had been a little over a year ago. And even though they butted heads quite a lot in the beginning, they have a mutual understanding of their bitchy behavior. They're like sisters. "Ohh and Quinn, don't try to use my pain to get Puck over here. If you want to see your boy toy you don't need my permission." Santana smirked.

"Santana, I will let you get a pass on your bitchiness today, but don't expect this courtesy to last. And after you pump yourself full of tequila, I will take blackmail worthy pictures as payback."

"Don't forget, I have blackmail on you, too. So, don't push me, Lucy." Santana reminded as she changed into pajamas.

"Whatever, bitch. G'night."

Quinn was sitting in the park by the pond waiting on Santana and the rest of the motley crew to arrive. She had already set out her blanket and the cooler full of wine. As she walked back from the car, with another handful of supplies, she saw the group approach. Puck and Mike were laughing and tossing a football between them. Rachel, Kurt, and Mercedes were talking in an animated manner—full of hand motions, raised eyebrows, and loud shrieks also known as laughing. The only one left to arrive was Santana.

"Quinn, where's your bitchy counterpart?" Mercedes asked.

"She's on her way. She just texted me. Which means I need to get this out quickly, " Puck turned to face the group. "Jen, forever known as superficial slutbag, sent both of us 'Save the Date' invitations to her wedding. Her wedding to the same chick that 'the incident' happened with. So, just know, you all are hearby busy all weekend helping S get drunk and laid so she can forget about slutbag."

Rachel, always a fan of making a huge production of everything, clutched her chest with one hand while covering her mouth with the other. "Well, I for one, never liked that gir… uh, slutbag. She always seemed like she was waiting for the moment to come where she could do something to make herself the center of attention. She couldn't dance or sing and she liked to equate her future profession of being a pole worker and freeloader to us who actually have dreams." Rachel wiped a tear and shook her head.

Quinn rolled her eyes, "Dammit Rachel, there's no need for the dramatics."

"Yeah, what's with the waterworks? If anyone should be crying, it's me Hobbit. So shut your mouth before I shut it for you. Besides, I could pretend to want to be her wedding singer and we could all bust out with 'GoldDigger' as her wedding march." Santana added as she joined the group. "I'm officially a senior. No more exams. I'm ready to drink the night away. Let's party bitches!"

And, just like that, the tension in the air was cut and the booze began flowing. Summer was officially here and it couldn't have come at a better time. Santana, Quinn, and Mercedes were laying around enjoying the sun and fresh air, well air as fresh as you could get while living in New York City. "Hey Little Whitney, how did your year end up?"

"Santana, I'm not little Whitney. As much as I love her music, she in no way is my idol." Mercedes rolled her eyes, "Anyways, my classes ended well. The internship at Motown was extended through the summer, so I'll be sticking around with the Divas."

Quinn scoffed "Yeah, Kurt and Rachel are divas, but so are you. You guys go perfectly together." Santana chuckled at her friends' antics. They were an odd bunch, but they worked and meshed well. Most of the time.

Puck and Mike started a pick up game of football with a few of their fraternity brothers that joined in after they finished their exams. Noah Puckerman, best friends with Santana from the time they were five years old, had gone to NYU with her after graduation. They had pledged in a brother-sister fraternity/sorority and continued to stay close throughout college. He had been there for her in high school when she came out. He had seen the start, and the end, of her first meaningful relationship. He had helped carry her home the many nights she stayed out trying to drink the pain away. He was scared for her. The look in her eye was similar to the one he had seen so many times before: a look of pure determination to do whatever necessary to make the pain go away. He was there for her before and he'd be there for her again. As he looked at the group of girls laying in their spot, his eyes landed on Quinn. She was beautiful: Yellow and white sundress, white mayjane shoes, hair down on her shoulders with her bangs held back by a white lace headband. But she had turned him down too many times to count, so he met her gaze before quickly looking away. Today was about Santana, he'd pine over Quinn another day.

"Hey S, it's only 3pm now. Do you want to have everyone come over to our place to pregame before heading to the club tonight?"

"Yeah Q, we have more than enough room. Plus, I've been wanting to break in the mancave."

"Satan, what the hell is a man cave? And why would you have one?" Kurt asked as he and Rachel strolled back to join the group. Puck and Mike sat down as well. "Well, twinkerbell, I have a man cave for the same reason you have stacks Vogue magazines and cut outs of Calvin Klein male models: it's just who we are."

"Wait, 'Tana, you finished the man cave?!" Puck asked excitedly. Santana rolled her eyes at Puck's childlike enthusiasm, "Yes, Puckerman, I finished MY man cave. It's now complete with darts, pool table, projection entertainment and sound system, and bar. We will christen it all tonight!"

Mike clapped, "yessssss, I'm a master mixologist! Can I do a little bartending tonight?" Santana nodded and Quinn laughed at how excited their friends were getting. "Wow, Santana, I didn't realize you could afford to live in an apartment big enough for that. Does your landlord let you do any redesigns you want? Because I would be available to lend my services to help you turn one of your rooms into a theatre themed safe haven. It could play Barbra classics when you enter. Kurt could help with the color scheme- maybe it could have yellow brick for the flooring or green walls as a tribute to wicked…" Rachel added while getting lost in her own thoughts.

"Look Berry, just because you grew up in the Shire, surrounded by Frodo and other fairies," the Latina gave Kurt a poignant look as she nodded her head in his direction, "doesn't mean that I want or need your help. Besides, we both know that you've never been invited to my house because I'd have to walk around making sure you wouldn't try to find 'the one ring to rule them all' and kill us all to get it." This was normal: Santana and Rachel have bickered since the first time they met.

_FLASHBACK_

_Santana had just finished singing her solo for the winter showcase. It was her freshman year, and though she was nervous, she had done really well. She was so good, in fact, that the audience gave her a standing ovation. As she exited stage right, a girl not much shorter than her, walked up to her with her hand extended._

_"Hello, my name is Rachel Barbra Berry. You did really well up there. There were a few problems with your pitch and a couple areas that you can work on, but since I have trained my voice I was three, I'd be more than happy to…" _

_"Ok listen up here, Yentl, I don't want nor do I need your help. So you can take your big beak and back up outta my face before you poke my eye out."_

Quinn just shook her head. "Ok guys, meet us at our place at 7. We'll pregame until we're ready to go to the club. Bring clothes to sleep in if you plan on getting plastered, we have enough room for you all to stay the night."

"Yeah, we'll be cabbing tonight if we're drunk enough. No drinking and driving." Santana threw in as she was standing up and dusting herself off. "Oh, and if you invite someone over or bring someone back from the club, I will hold you fully responsible for any damage done. Keep your shit together or I'll go Arlington Heights Adjacent on your asses."

Puck leaned over to whisper to Quinn, "We're from Naperville, not Arlington Heights. Why the hell does she think anybody would ever believe she's from the 'wrong side of the tracks'?"

Quinn just shrugged and shook her head. "I don't know, but I'm not about to bring it up. I saw what she did to that guy that couldn't take 'no' for an answer."

Puck's eyes went wide as saucers and he instinctively covered his groin and shuddered. "Yeah, I've seen her do that many times and it makes me happy that I've never been on the receiving end of one of those knees."

"Earth to Quinn…" Quinn looked up and locked eyes with Rachel, who was standing above her, and raised one perfectly sculpted eyebrow in response. "oh, ummm, anyway. Quinn I was wondering if you would text me the address. Kurt, Mercedes, and I will bring over a delicious appetizer since you'll be providing food."

"I'll be doing what?" Quinn asked incredulously.

"Well," Rachel started as she slowly backpedaled away from the irritated blonde, "Santana said that there'd be food there to eat and that we just needed to show up. But, my dads always told me that I should never go to anyone's house gathering without something to offer as well. Since I'm vegan, I figured it would be easiest if I brought something I knew I could eat."

Puck just looked on in amazement at how quickly Quinn had made Rachel nervous. Santana had met her match when it came to the HBIC glare and it thrilled him to no end that she was good friends and not enemies with Quinn. "Well, now that I know there won't be a cat fight, I'll help Q pack up the blankets and cooler. See ya later, Rach." Rachel just nodded and waved as she skipped to catch up to Mercedes and Kurt who were waiting on her so they could ride the subway together.

As soon as Quinn walked through her front door she was hit with the delightful smell of arroz con pollo, empanadas and corncake. Santana was cooking, which only meant one thing: she had a lot on her mind and wasn't ready to talk about it. Quinn shrugged off her purse and shoes and walked into the kitchen. She embraced Santana from behind, resting her chin on the slightly shorter girls shoulder, and quietly said "I know you're not quite ready to talk about it, but when you are I'm here. We're going to have a great time tonight." Then she smacked Santana on the ass and went to take a shower. As she was on her way up the stairs she called back, "Hey S, remember me telling you about my friend Brittany from back home? Well, she was wondering if she'd be able to come out here earlier than expected. Her internship that was supposed to start this fall was changed to start this summer. Is that ok with you? If not, I know that Rachel would be willing to house her for a few weeks til she finds her own place."

"Q, I told you before, any friend of yours is welcome. We live in a three-bedroom condo; I think there's enough room for her to stay the summer. Besides, I'm a bitch, but I wouldn't wish living with Berry on my worst enemy." Santana semi-yelled from the kitchen.

"Used to be four until you needed your 'man cave'" Quinn mumbled under her breath. Santana chuckled, "Fuck you Fabray, I heard that. Besides, I'm pretty sure my name is signed as the owner on the deed to this place so I can do as I damn well please."

"Yeah yeah, whatever bitch. Try to be done cooking and ready before everyone gets here."

* * *

**A/N: The first few chapters are to give a little background, but the pace picks up and Brittana is the focus.**


	2. Rehab

Chapter 2: Rehab

Baby, baby, when we first met

I never felt something so strong

You were like my lover and my best friend

All wrapped into one, with a ribbon on it

And all of a sudden, when you left

I didn't know how to follow, it's like a shot

That spun me around and now my heart left

I feel so empty and hollow

"Santana hurry your ass up! It's almost seven and they'll all be here soon!" Quinn yelled from the foyer.

Santana had just gotten out of the shower after cooking for hours. She was exhausted, both emotionally and physically, but that wouldn't stop her from having fun tonight. Nothing could rain on her parade. So, deciding to make her guests wait a little while longer, she locked her bedroom door and turned up her music so that the bass from The Black Eyed Peas "I Gotta Feeling" could be felt on the entire upper level of their condo. If this blast from the past couldn't put her in a slightly better mood, she doesn't know what will.

* * *

In the living room Quinn was trying to keep everyone entertained while Santana took her time coming to join them. She was trying to be patient, this night was for Santana after all, but she couldn't help but get slightly agitated at the way she was ignoring her guests. Just as she started to get up from the couch she felt a hand on her shoulder, "Hey Quinn, let me try." She nodded and smiled at Puck as he took two shot glasses and a bottle of tequila up to Santana's room.

"Lezpez, let me in!" He yelled while banging on her door.

"Fuck off, Puckerman. I'll be out when I damn well please!"

"Well, I guess I'll have to drink this Patron with Mike" he started to say before Santana opened her door.

"One, you should wipe that stupid smirk off your face before I do it for you. Two, ALWAYS lead with the fact that you have alcohol if you want something from me. Three, if you mention anything that I'm currently trying to forget about, I will single handedly cause you to never be able to procreate. Comprende?"

"Damn, 'Tana, you look hotttttt! And yeah, I get it. I'm your lezbro. And this," Puck said holding up the big bottle of tequila, "is the start of a good night."

Santana let Puck into her room before closing the door again. She walked back over to the full-length mirror in the corner of her room and examined her look. Her hair was down and cascaded over her bare shoulders in loose ringlets. Her every curve was hugged, in all the right ways, by her tight black mid thigh dress and her already sexy legs looked even longer after she slipped on her black and hot pink heels. Her mocha brown eyes were accentuated by smoky grey eye shadow, mascara, and black eyeliner. She applied a coat of her Strawberry Champagne "Kissable" lip gloss, and rounded out her look by dusting a little golden shimmer over her naturally tan complexion.

"Thanks. What's with the button-down and tie? Are you trying to impress Quinn?" Santana asked with a hint of mischief. Puck's cheeks visibly reddened as he tried to smooth out imaginary wrinkles in his attire. He was in a pair of dark jeans, un-tucked light green long sleeved shirt, black tie, and all black Nike high tops. "Oh stop, you look good Noah." He nodded his appreciation and stepped towards the door.

"Hurry the hell up, everyone's here and we're hungry!" Quinn yelled from the bottom of the stairs and Santana and Puck rolled their eyes. "And stop rolling your eyes at me!"

"'Tana, how the hell does she do that?"

"Hell if I know Puck, hell if I know. Go ahead down there, I'll be down in a sec, I just need a quick breather."

* * *

When Santana finally made her way out of her room she stopped at the top of stairs, partially hidden from her friends below. Kurt and Rachel weren't her closest friends, and she wasn't their biggest fan, but she appreciated that they would drop their plans for her. She hadn't ever invited them over, despite Quinn's continued efforts, but that might change now that they had shown her a little bit of loyalty. Mercedes and Mike knew each other from growing up in the same neighborhood in New York. They had dated for a couple months in high school and though they seemed like an odd couple, they had made a valiant effort to stay friends after breaking up. She was jealous that it had worked out well for them and not for her; she envied that they were able to be close and share a strengthened bond. She had met Mike, and subsequently Mercedes, through Puck. They were fraternity brothers and always invited her over to hang out since she was in their sister sorority. They were a fun group, one she never would have hand picked, but was blessed to have.

She made her way down the stairs to join the group before she noticed that there was a new face that she hadn't seen because the girl was in the kitchen. "Hey Santana, this is my best friend, Brittany. Britt, this is my roommate and friend, Santana." The girls locked eyes; neither trusting their voices to work and not daring to look away. The entire room looked back-and-forth between the girls, trying to see who would break first. Finally Rachel spoke up, "As lovely as this silent conversation is to the rest of us sitting at the table, I'd really like to eat. These tofurkey potato bites are better consumed when they are warm." Both Brittany and Santana blushed and turned to find their seats.

Dinner consisted primarily of catching the two girls stealing glances at one another and trying to be as inconspicuous as possible. Quinn leaned over to Puck, "Well, this is an interesting turn of events. I give it a month."

Puck scoffed, "As long as slutbag stays away, I give it a week- two weeks tops."

* * *

"Alright, who's ready for the grand tour? I know most of you haven't been here before, so follow me. Keep your hands to yourself **cough Berry cough.**"

Since Quinn and Puck knew the place like the back of their hand, they stayed behind to clean up a bit. "Lopez, don't show the mancave til Quinn and I join you."

"Thanks for helping Quinn clean up, Noah. You're such a gentleman. **Cough whipped cough**" Santana smirked and stuck her tongue out in his direction. If she didn't know any better, she would have thought they were already dating, he's such a sap, she thought to herself.

Brittany leaned over towards Santana with a devious grin, "Hey, you're coughing a lot, do you need me to get you something to drink? Or you could just open your mouth and I could check to see if you have something stuck in your throat."

Quinn slapped Puck's arm as he yelled "Wanky!" and Santana turned red as she shook her head, unsure if the words would ever come out right.

After showing the rest of the group the upstairs level, which consisted of three bedrooms, each with their own in-suite bathroom; she showed them the downstairs living room complete with a two-sided see through fireplace, 90 inch LCD mounted TV, and wall of panoramic windows overlooking the city. "Holy shit girl, how much do you guys pay in rent? This place is fucking phenomenal!" Mercedes exclaimed as they came out of the sauna room and headed towards the newly completed mancave.

"Calm yourself, Aretha. It's really not that big of a deal guys."

"Quinn, how the hell do you afford this? You closet is bigger than my bedroom!" Rachel yelled towards Quinn and Puck as they joined the group.

"Guys, 'Tana and Quinn are smart, educated, and have great jobs. Let's stop badgering them and just enjoy it…. Now, 'ON TO THE BAT CAVE!'" Santana gave Puck a thankful nod and smile as she opened up the door to her personal space.

"This is a space to entertain friends, dance, listen to music, drink, and escape real life for a little while. I wanted a modern look and feel, so I designed the space with a flat black–painted ceiling, ebony laminate flooring, a glass block bar with granite tile, Momeni rug, and white leather couches. There's recessed neon lighting that changes color and ceiling to floor mirrors behind the two dance poles, which are conveniently part of the infrastructure. You can see that the lamps, tables and headboards are all made of custom guitars, and framed records decorate the remaining wall space. And before you ask, yes Puck, the pinball machines and arcade games are real and in working order. The pool table is regulation size, and the dart board is in that case over there." Santana said while pointing to the wall opposite of the flat screen projector setup. "Mike go ahead and get behind the bar, I'm ready for something good!"

"Okay! What should I make first?" Mike called out to the group.

"Adios Mother Fucka"

"Sex on the Beach"

"Fuzzy Navel"

"Wet Pussy!" The entire room went silent as all eyes turn towards Rachel. "W-What? It tastes good." Rachel stuttered, slightly unnerved by all the attention on her at that moment.

"Wanky. Just. Wanky." Santana said while Brittany fist pumped the air.

"Satan, I have never in my life desired a wet pussy, but I will take one for the team." Kurt chimed in.

"Yeah, me either girl, so you better remember this when you think you have a reason to say something rude or snarky."

"Look, Areth-Mercedes, you can relax before you pop a blood vessel. You, prancy smurf, and Hobbit needs to get one thing in your heads right now: I wants a wet pussy and none of you will stop me from having what I want." Santana said while pointing menacingly at the three.

Quinn snickered and whispered to those within earshot, "Wanky." Santana turned towards the laughing faces of Quinn, Brittany, and Puck "And Q, you and I both know you like wet pussy. So don't try to pretend you aren't excited as I am."

Puck's mouth dropped open and he breathlessly exclaimed "sooooo, hotttttt!"

"Alright, wet pussies coming right up." Mike said with a glint in his eye, trying to save anyone else the wrath of a sober Santana.

"You better make it a triple shot for Santana before I have to smack the shit out of her." Quinn added while looking at Mike.

* * *

As they pulled up to the club, they noticed that the line was long and wrapped around the building. Puck paid the cab fare and ran to join the group as they walked to the front of the line. Everyone kept their eyes forward and followed Santana; this was her idea and she promised they would get in immediately. Santana flashed her fake ID, since she was the only underage person in the group, towards the bouncer and smiled at him. She knew Dave from school, but you can never be too careful with prying eyes around.

Heat and Latin beats filled the air of the club as they walked in. There was a group of girls dancing on the stage upfront next to the DJ spinning in his booth in the raised box. The girls were shaking, grinding, and rubbing all up on each other. While this wasn't a gay club, being in New York allowed more freedom of expression than most small Midwestern towns. It was something that Rachel and Kurt weren't quite used to since they had grown up in Lima- a small town in Ohio. Rachel has two gay dads and Kurt is a gay man, so they aren't completely out of their element, but this is something completely new to them. They had never accompanied Santana, Quinn, Mercedes, Puck, and Mike when they went clubbing before.

They were a hot group and most eyes turned towards them as they made their way to the bar. Immediately, a tall muscular guy approached Santana and stroked her forearm, "Sup mama?"

Santana rolled her eyes, "First of all, Sir Lame-a-lot of Loserville, I'm not your damn 'mama'. I don't want your greasy hair and sweaty palms anywhere near me, let alone all over me: you reek of desperation and loneliness. So take your damn hands off of me before I forcibly remove them and cause you to have to abstain from your regular jerk off sessions."

The group laughed at the interaction as it left the man stunned with nothing to do but turn and walk away with his head down. Quinn wrapped her hand around Santana's and led them towards the other end of the bar where there was a hot brunette bartender.

"Q, we have our own private bar in our section upstairs." Santana, who knew exactly what Quinn was up to, rolled her eyes and followed along while the rest of the group went to find they reserved VIP section.

"Yeah we do, but I really want to do a shot alone with you first. So bring your ass and stop complaining."

Yes, most of the time Santana didn't flaunt her wealth- hell, most of her friends didn't know she was well off, let alone an heiress to TRI, until they saw her condo- but tonight was a special occasion and she was determined to have a good time with the people who were choosing to be with her on their own free will. It's not that she is a bad person, she just chooses not to show that to people. She's a bitch because people take advantage of you if they think you're weak. They lie to you and make you believe they like you only to turn around and betray your trust.

"Hey there stranger."

Both Santana and Quinn visibly tensed at the voice. What are the odds that she would end up in the same club, in New York City, on a busy Friday night? Santana turned and took in the woman she had actively been avoiding. She was standing there in a black skirt and burnt orange flowy top that complimented her red mane well.

Quinn spoke up first, "Listen Jen, we really don't want any trouble. Just leave us alone."

Jen laughed and let her fingers graze over Santana's hand, "Is that so, Sanny? You want me to leave you alone?"

She had leaned over to whisper in the Latina's ear. Santana caught wind of her perfume, Dolce and Gabana Light Blue, and she retracted her hand immediately. Just as Santana was about to respond, Brittany walked up and snaked her arms around her waist and kissed her cheek. "Hey, baby, what's taking so long with our drinks and who's your friend?"

She said while narrowing her eyes at the redhead. Santana, thrown for a moment at the way Brittany's lips felt on her skin, quickly recovered, "Oh, just an old friend. She was just leaving."

Brittany smiled, "why don't all four of us do shots together."

Brittany was already ordering the shots before Santana or Quinn could protest. They weren't comfortable standing in such close proximity to Jen, but they couldn't just leave Brittany by herself. Brittany turned around with a small tray of four shots. "Here's a 'screaming orgasm' for you Quinn, a 'leg spreader' for Santana, a 'sex on my face' for me, and" she winked before turning towards Jen, "a redheaded slut for you."

Before Jen could register what was going on, the other three girls took their shots and sauntered off to their VIP section.

* * *

"Hey, B, thanks for helping Santana out. If you hadn't come over I know things would've ended differently. Did you see the look on that bitch's face?"

"Quinnie, Santana seems like an awesome person, I'm glad I could help. You guys are letting me stay in your condo- it's the least I could do."

Puck, Mike, and Mercedes, who had caught the tail end of the interaction from the balcony above, rushed the three girls as they made their way to the top floor. "What the hell happened down there? Do we need to go kick slutbag's ass?"

Santana smiled at protective Puck, she really did love him. "No, but thanks Puck." She glanced towards Brittany and added, " Seems I have plenty of friends willing to beat her ass or embarrass her to defend my honor."

Puck smiled, this was going to be an interesting night.

Rachel walked over to the group carrying a tray full of shot glasses full of pink liquid, "It tastes like pink… It tastes like PINK!"

Quinn and Santana's eyebrows shot up to their forehead as they turned to each other doubling over in laughter. "Never, in my life, Rachel Berry, have I seen you inebriated. You better handle your liquor well, I look too good to get thrown up on." Kurt stated as he took the tray from Rachel and handed out a glass to each person.

Mercedes yelled out "Toast Toast Toast!"

"Here's to being single, seeing double, sleeping triple, and having multiple!" Puck clinked his shot glass with everyone before chugging his down in one big gulp.

* * *

"Hey Santana, would you like to dance?" Brittany asked shyly. Santana turned towards her and took in her complete appearance. She was tall, maybe 3 or so inches taller than the Latina. Her hair was the color of the golden morning sun, and the blue of her eyes rivaled the clearest blue sky she had ever seen. She didn't have on much makeup: lip gloss, eyeliner, and mascara. She was a natural beauty. She was wearing a white and royal blue form-fitting dress with a plunging neckline that accentuated the valley of her breasts and stopped above her knee with a dangerously alluring slit up the side of her thigh. She rounded the outfit out with white peekaboo heels. She nodded, her mouth and throat too dry to properly respond.

The blonde and brunette made their way to the packed dance floor just as the song switched to a mashup of "I Gotta Feeling/ Firework". They both started dancing around each other and laughing, barely able to contain their excitement at the song choice. Up above Quinn and Puck peered over and chuckled at their friends' antics. "'Tana has loved this song since it first came out. It was always a favorite of hers to play while getting ready for the parties we'd throw in high school."

Quinn nodded, "Yeah, she's mentioned that to me. And as much as B likes Katy Perry, I'm sure her excitement has more to do with S than the song playing."

Quinn bit her lip before turning towards Puck, "Hey, do you want to dance? With me. Only if you want. Um, never mind."

Before she could turn to walk away, Puck lightly grabbed her wrist rooting her in place. "Come on Q, you look too beautiful in your green dress to be standing up here and not dancing down there. Besides, we're the only ones up here not dancing. And we match, which means we need to dance together." It was true; unbeknownst to them, they had worn the same shade of green and accented it with blue and black. Quinn had on flowing light green dress that came down just below her knee, with a navy blue belt across her midsection, and navy and black braided headband to hold back her golden locks that were tied loosely in a low side ponytail. "Even Berry is down there dancing. And 'Cedes has her eyesight set on that dancer she saw earlier." Puck continued, trying to convince her to dance.

Brittany looked over and winked at Quinn and Puck, they had just joined her and Santana on the dance floor. "It's about you got your ass down here Q! We've been waiting for you!" The taller blonde yelled out to the shorter blonde at the same time that Iyaz's "Solo" finished playing. Santana couldn't help but feel a little down because the lyrics touched a sore spot. Puck handed her a shot, and Quinn handed one to Brittany. She tipped hers back, enjoying the slight sting and warm sensation that coated her throat. Puck looked at his friend and spoke with his eyes. _Are you okay?_

Santana, offering her best smile she could muster at the moment, nodded.

The shots had their desired effect and before the foursome knew it, Sweet Dreams by Beyonce was playing over the large loud speakers. Brittany was swaying her hips and bending over into Santana's front, Quinn was whipping her hair around and running her hands over Puck's chest before she dropped down and shimmied her way back up. Puck and Santana, lacking oxygen, stood there silently screaming at the sight in front of them. A crowd started to form around them as people took notice of their dancing skills. Then, much to their short-lived disappointment, the girls walked away from them only to start dancing seductively with each other. This was nothing new for the two blondes. In high school they had often danced together at parties, pretending to be a couple if guys would try to get too handsy. Two guys started to walk up to the girls, hoping to get in on the action, but before they could step too close both blondes held up their hands and shook their heads. This dance was meant for the two brunettes still stunned on the sideline. Quinn and Britt shared a look between each other before pasting seductive smirks on and turning their attention to their friends.

* * *

"Well ladies and gents, we're gonna slow things down a bit. Grab someone sexy and hold them close. Here's my man Mario with 'I Choose You'."

They girls pointed and then beckoned Puck and Santana over with the best "come hither" look either had ever experienced. Brittany placed her hands gingerly on Santana's waist. She didn't want to overstep her boundaries, but she couldn't deny she was extremely attracted to the girl. "Santana, you look really beautiful tonight." Brittany whispered in her ear. Santana, thankful that her tan hid it well, blushed and bit her bottom lip. She was about to respond when she felt a tap on her shoulder. Brittany's jaw clenched and she shook her head, but Jen still slid between the two of you and tried to persuade the Latina to dance. Santana looked between the two girls and offered Brittany a look she couldn't quite place before nodding her consent to Jen. The taller blonde was pulled into a dance with Quinn as Puck backed away towards the VIP section to join Kurt, Rachel, Mike, and Mercedes.

"Puck, what the HELL is Satan doing? Brittany obviously likes her, why would she turn her away for the slutbag?" Mercedes demanded to know as soon as he reached the upper landing.

He ran his hand over his head and slowly shook his head, "Closure. She needs closure. As much as she tries to play the hardass, we all saw how Jen crushed her and you can't just get over that. Especially after that wound was reopened yesterday."

They all sighed and turned back to face the dance floor. Mike slid to banister next to Puck, "Dude, you're a great friend. I hope you can knock some sense into Santana so she doesn't travel back down that same road. Britt seems like a great girl."

"Yeah she does, and from what Quinn has said, I think her and S would compliment each other and be a cute couple."

Meanwhile, on the dance floor Brittany was berating herself. "Quinn, maybe I pushed her too far. We were dancing really sexily, I should have known not to be so impulsive."

"B, you were just fine. I saw the way Santana was looking at you all night; you didn't cross any boundaries. If anything, you should be happy she went over there. The look she gave you wasn't an apology, it was asking for understanding and for a raincheck." Just then blue met brown from across the dance floor, and everything else faded away. She noticed how Santana visibly tensed any time Jen tried to touch her waist, she kept a good distance between their bodies, and she kept her eyes trained on Brittany, not Jen.

Santana was so focused on Brittany that she didn't notice Jen leaning in towards her. Before she could register what was going on, she felt Jen's lips on hers. She jumped back so quickly that she knocked into the couple behind her. All she saw was red: anger coursed through her veins.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Santana shouted.

"What do you think? I'm kissing you. I miss you. I miss what we had."

"Well, it's a little late for that don't you think? I just got your damn wedding invite in the mail yesterday." Santana turned to walk towards the rest of her group that was waiting at the edge of the dance floor. They had seen the entire interaction and knew enough to let her handle this as long as it wasn't violent.

Jen tried to grab at the retreating form of Santana, "Your little blonde bitch over there will never compare to me."

Before Puck could reach her, Santana turned on her heel and smacked Jen across the face. "Tu está follando loco. Tu nunca comparar a ella. Ella es hermosa, amable y generoso. Tiene ambición y sueños. La única cosa que agradezco es que tu mostró sus verdaderos colores antes de que yo perdí más de mi vida contigo. ¡Aléjate de mí!"

Puck wrapped his arms around Santana and pulled her close before handing her over to Quinn and Brittany. He turned around and walked back towards Jen. "We both know you're a fucked up excuse for a human being. You ripped her heart and only came back around to ask her for money to help you and your new girlfriend get an apartment since she kicked you out, and out of the kindness of her heart, she allowed that to happen. She wanted to stay friends with you, first love bullshit and all." He glanced around before continuing, "But listen carefully, because I'm only going to say this once: stay away from my best friend. Don't call. Don't write. Fucking fall off the face of the earth- I really don't give a shit. Just know that if I see your face or hear that you've tried to interfere in her life in any way I will protect her. You and I both know this isn't a threat, it's a promise to protect my family."

Jen sighed, "I used to be considered your family, too."

"That was before you decided to be a cheating, bloodsucking, conniving, bitch. Don't turn this on me. You made your bed, now lay in it… with Mack." Puck spit out as her turned to join his friends waiting in the cab.

* * *

Translation: "You're fucking crazy. You will never compare to her. She's beautiful and kind and generous. She has ambition and dreams. The only thing I'm grateful for is that you showed your true colors before I wasted more of my life with you. Get away from me!"


	3. I Loved You

**A/N: Rest in peace, Cory. Your light and love will be sorely missed. If you're a praying person, I'm sure that all of the people who loved Cory will need all of the prayers and positive energy that we have sent their way. ****Cory Monteith** May 11, 1982 – July 13, 2013

Chapter 3: I Loved You

I loved you, and I probably still do,

And for a while the feeling may remain...

But let my love no longer trouble you,

I do not wish to cause you any pain.

I loved you; and the hopelessness I knew,

The jealousy, the shyness - though in vain -

Made up a love so tender and so true

As may God grant you to be loved again.

* * *

"Sorry things got out of hand you guys." Santana shook her head thinking back to the scene they had caused before leaving the club.

Kurt interrupted her thoughts, "I think we all know that you're not the one who should be apologizing. You did nothing wrong." Everyone else nodded their agreement.

"Well, I don't know about you guys, but I'm not that tired. Anyone up for more music and dancing in the mancave?" Puck wiggled his eyebrows as he posed the question to the group.

Mike resumed his station behind the bar, prepping drinks for everyone who asked. Santana looked over at her friends enjoying their time and noticed a pair of bright blue eyes staring back at her. She smiled as Brittany walked over to her. "Hey, thanks again, for letting me stay here. Just tell me how much rent I owe you or if I need to talk to your landlord or anythi…"

"Britt, it's ok. You don't need to worry about that. Everything's already been cleared with the owner, so you don't have to worry about a thing. Besides, you're going to be quite busy with your internship this summer. You probably won't be here much anyway."

Brittany's smile faltered a bit. Did Santana not want her there? Seeing the look on the blonde's face, Santana realized how her words had sounded, "Shit, Brittany, I didn't mean it like that. I'd love to spend time with you and, and I know Quinn would too, I just figured you'd be busy with the dance company and teaching classes, and I didn't want you to think that I'd be expecting you to hang out all of the time. Shit, now I'm just rambling."

Santana sighed and Brittany giggled, "Yeah, but you're cute when you ramble."

"Umm, c-come on, Britt, I need some fresh air. Want to join me on the roof?" Brittany jumped up and down and Santana chuckled at her excitement.

From across the room Puck, Quinn, Rachel, Mercedes, Mike, and Kurt were watching the interaction. "So, how long til Brittany gets Santana to forget about Jen?" Mike asked.

"The minute Britt got her to laugh like that," Quinn pointed at the duo, "she succeeded."

"True, but the real question is 'how long til 'Tana figures that all out?'" Puck chimed in before taking a huge gulp of a purple fruity drink. "Damnit Mike, this shit is too fruity. I need a beer."

* * *

To FaBitch, from Santana: _Hey, see if anyone wants to go to my parents place in Montauk for a few days. I plan on staying Saturday through Monday or Tuesday._

To Sandbags, from Quinn: _I'm down. I'll ask everyone else, but you need to ask B since she just walked out with you._

To FaBitch, from Santana: _already done. If Puck goes we'll have one full car. Wheezy, manhands, porcelain, and Asian persuasion can drive themselves. Lol_

To Sandbags, from Quinn: _and here I thought you had turned a new leaf and were going to be nice._

To FaBitch, from Santana: _I did. I invited them, didn't I?_

To Britt, from Quinn: _So, Santana asked you to go to her parents this weekend, huh? I told you that you didn't cross a line._

To Quinnie, from Britt: _yeah, we're having a good conversation. I don't start my dance classes for another week_.

To Sandbags, from Quinn: _yeah, I guess you can't change too much or they'll think that you were abducted by aliens._

To FaBitch, from Santana: _Um, ok?! Are you still drinking?_

To Sandbags, from Quinn: _Shut up, Britt would understand. Anyway, Puck is going. Everyone else has to work tomorrow, but they might come up Sunday._

To Tana, from Puck: _Why did I have to hear about casa de Lopez through Quinn? You're slacking lezbro._

To Tana, from Puck: _Oh wait, you're with Brittany. You think she's gorgeous; you want to hug her… you want to kiss her… you want to love her… _

To P Diddy, from Santana: _First of all, when the fuck did you change your name in my phone? Second, my knee is dying to meet your groin. Third, I'm going to tell everyone that the "P" stands for pequeno. Itty Bitty Puckerman Diddy. Now leave me the hell alone so I can hang with Britt._

* * *

Santana turned towards Brittany. "Hey sorry about that, I was just making sure Quinn and Puck knew about this weekend."

"S'okay, so what's going on between them? Are they dating yet?"

"Honestly, I have no clue. They both get so hot and cold with each other."

"Yeah, Quinn has talked to me about him a lot. It's only a matter of time, in my opinion."

"Agreed, but enough about them, what made you transfer schools to come out to New York? San Diego is beautiful." Santana watched as the emotions passed over the blonde's face. While closing her eyes and taking a deep breath she started telling her story.

"Well, I grew up outside of San Diego, so it was a natural choice for me to go to SDSU. That's where my mother went and that's where my brother went and that's where my younger twin brother and sister plan on going. It's like a family school. But it wasn't for me."

Santana nodded and asked, "What about your dad, did he go there too?"

"No my dad died a few years ago. He was in the Air Force and…" Brittany shook her head and wiped away a tear.

The Latina wrapped Brittany tightly in a hug, "I'm so sorry Britt. I didn't mean to bring it up. You don't have to continue the story."

The blonde squeezed back tightly before creating a little space so she could continue her story. "No, it's nice talking about him. He was a great man, and most people don't ever ask about him. Anyway, he was killed in action… He died trying to save a school full of children from enemy forces. My mom has his Medal of Honor and encased folded flag above our mantel in the living room. It was hard to adjust to life without him. He's the one who told me to always follow my dreams. He bought me my first pair of ballet shoes. He went to every showcase and performance. And, whenever I came home crying after kids started teasing me, he would be the one to hold me and tell me I was a genius. Every time I was sad he'd pick me up, swing me around, and go get the ingredients to make no-bake cookies. He was my hero, but then he was gone and I got mixed in with the wrong crowd. Quinn tried to offer her guidance, and my older brother tried as well, but I was far too stubborn to take their help. I didn't care about school, or my future and I almost threw it all down the drain. I closed off to everyone: my mom, my older brother, and my younger brother and sister. I know it's hard for them, but for the longest time I couldn't see that—I only felt my pain. But then Quinn called and told me to apply for an internship out here. She said that 'even if it's only for the semester, it wouldn't hurt to get away for a bit' and so I did. I applied and I got the dance internship and my so-called friends tried to bring me down with them. They had all been drinking and I stayed sober to drive everyone home. They called me stupid for wanting to come out here and told me I'd still amount to nothing. They said I couldn't do better than them. And even though I'll miss my family a ton, I'm lucky that the dance company is letting me teach classes this summer and that you two let me come out here early; that's why I can't thank you and Quinn enough."

"Well, you should call your family. You can use my computer to skype them until you bring yours here. And, don't get me wrong, but it sounds to me like your former friends were the idiots. You are way smarter than them, and most people I know, because you didn't give in to peer pressure and you stayed sober when it would have been easy to just follow along with whatever they said. You needed to get out of there and I'm glad Quinn convinced you to come out here. Things are looking up for both of us. I think fate has laid a hand."

"Thanks, San, I think so too. Let's go back inside," Britt said as she quickly changed the subject and hugged the Latina closer to her body. "I'm kinda hungry and it's a little cold." Brittany added as she shivered from a particularly cool gust of wind.

"Yeah? There are leftovers unless you want me to make you a grilled cheese? That's what I'm having. I'm gonna eat my sandwich, eat some fruit, and curl up and watch a movie. You can join me if you'd like to." Suddenly feeling timid about her suggestion, she turned her gaze away from Brittany and looked over the city while taking deep calming breaths.

Brittany smiled at Santana's nervousness. She had nothing to be nervous about, if anything the prospect of getting to cuddle with her was making Brittany's butterfly's take flight 100 times more than they had before. "Yeah, I'd love that. I'll meet you back inside." She said as she leaned down to give the shorter girl a peck on the cheek.

Twice in one night Brittany's soft pink lips had been on Santana's cheek. Twice that action had caused the Latina to blush and savor every minute of it. And for, what seemed like the hundredth time, thoughts about Brittany had made her stomach flip and her mind go blank. She thought back to the way things ended at the club. Her desire was to stay dancing with Britt all night long, but Jen had effectively ruined that. And while Santana knew that she needed to get closure, she never wanted to see the look of defeat that crossed Britt's face ever again. Are things completely over with Jen? Santana feels like they are, but that's what this trip to her parents beach house is about. It's time for a cleansing weekend away.

* * *

"Listen up peabrains, I'm gonna go to my room and watch a movie. DO NOT wake me up. Wake Quinn up if you need anything. I repeat: don't text me, don't knock on my door, and don't break anything. You don't want to know what happens if you wake me up. Cosas malas!" Santana announced to the group as she walked away towards her room.

A little while later, when most of the group had started to drift off to sleep, Puck was cleaning up and noticed a missing person. "Hey Quinn," Puck poked her in the arm, "Quuiiiiinnnnnnnn wake up. Have you seen Brittany? Do you think she got locked up on the roof?" At that Quinn jumped out of the recliner and ran full speed to the access door. She swung it open and called out her name with no such luck. Walking back in to the condo she punched Puck in the arm.

"Way to give me a heart attack! Did you check her room?"

Puck looked apologetic, "um no, I thought she was sleeping out here with all of us. Sorry."

Quinn shook her head, "No, she's staying here with us for the summer so she has the extra room upstairs. Now that I'm awake, I'm going to go check up there to make sure she's settled."

Quinn walked up the flight of stairs to the second door on the right, the first door being her room, and lightly tapped on the door. When she didn't hear anything in response she slowly opened the doorway to peek in. The curtains were still open, and the streetlight poured across the empty bed. _Well that's strange._ Quinn thought as she closed the door then tiptoed to Santana's door. She put her head to the door and heard the menu music on her Lion King DVD. Countless times Quinn has gone in to her roommate's room to turn off the TV after she's fallen asleep watching the Disney movie. She would deny it to everyone, but it was her favorite, and Quinn never made fun of her for it; she learned that from Brittany. The other blonde loved all Disney movies and as they got older it was often a subject her peers used for teasing her. It never stopped Britt from enjoying the movies, but Quinn could tell the teasing took it's toll as the blonde slowly started to close everyone out except for her close friends and family. Then she became even more closed off after her dad died.

Quinn opened the door, but wasn't prepared for the sight before her. There, in the master suite, curled up in the middle of the king sized bed was Santana with her head resting on the blonde's shoulder. Their legs were tangled together with Brittany's arms wrapped protectively around the Latina's waist and back. Quinn pulled out her cell phone and snapped a few pics, she had a feeling she'd need these later. She turned to the TV to turn it off and headed back to her room. It's about time for Santana and Brittany to both feel happy.

* * *

Santana woke up warmer than usual in her huge bed. She tried to kick the covers off, but felt an odd weight leaning into her. "Puck, get your lazy…" The words caught in her throat as she opened her eyes and saw the blonde hair on the pillow next to hers.

_FLASHBACK_

_Santana had just finished washing her makeup off and brushing her teeth when she walked out of her bathroom. There, kneeling near the headboard was Brittany stealing a couple of her strawberries. Santana cleared her throat and chuckled when a startled Brittany almost fell out of the bed. _

_"San! You scared me! What if I had a heart attack and died right then?" _

_The Latina continued laughing until the blonde started to pout. "Oh, umm, I'm sorry. I mean, it was funny, but I won't do it again if it makes you sad." _

_"Well, how about you just make it up to me?"_

_"And how would I go about making it up to you?" Were they flirting? Neither really knew what the other was thinking, but without a major freak-out, they continued their flirtatious banter. _

_"Well, you could let me have more strawberries and let me pick the movie we're gonna watch." _

_"Britt-Britt, if that's all it would take to make it up to you you've got yourself a deal."_

_(end flashback)_

When Santana came back upstairs Brittany had already loaded the Lion King disc into the Blu-ray player and was nestled under the covers. They had moved impossibly closer in the middle of the night, and though Santana didn't want to separate, she didn't want to run the risk of freaking Brittany out if she woke up and they were still this close together. Reluctantly, she went to the bathroom to take a shower. Today was going to be a fun, but busy day.

"I'm on my knees. Only memories are left for me to hold.

Don't know how but I'll get by. Slowly pull myself together.

There's no escape so keep me safe. This feels so unreal.

Nothing comes easily. Fill this empty space.

Nothing is like it seems. Turn my grief to grace."

Brittany turned over to tell Santana 'good morning' but woke up to an empty bed, but she quickly stopped moving around and laid her head back to listen to Santana's smooth voice coming from behind the bathroom door.

"I feel the cold loneliness unfold like from another world.

Come what may I won't fade away, but I know I might change.

Nothing comes easily. Fill this empty space.

Nothing is like it seems. Turn my grief to grace."

* * *

Santana was still in the shower when the blonde decided to go to her own room. She didn't want their first morning together to be awkward. As she crept out of the room she ran into Puck tiptoeing away from Quinn's room. Brittany grabbed him by the shirt, ready to rip him a new one, when Quinn cleared her throat from behind her. The taller blonde turned in time to see Puck wink and Quinn blush.

"Ok, what the hell is going on?"

"Um, we could ask you the same thing."

"Well, Q, I fell asleep in Santana's room while watching a movie. Your turn."

"B, nothing's going on. Puck was just getting both of us a change of shirt since me kind of made a mess making breakfast for everyone."

Brittany crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes at Puck, "then why were you tiptoeing out?"

"B, um, Britt-any I was trying not to wake Rachel up. She disappeared in the middle of the night to sleep in Quinn's bed." He cleared this throat and took a few steps away from the two girls. "Sooooooo, I'm gonna go finish getting breakfast ready. See ya in a bit." Brittany might be nice and laid back, but the fierceness he saw in her eyes warned him to never get on her bad side.

"So, Q, did you get your cuddle on?"

"With Rachel? No! She kept hogging the covers, so I came downstairs and slept on the couch."

"You used a qualifier which means that even though you didn't cuddle with Rachel, you definitely did cuddle with someone else!"

Quinn let out a strained chuckle and visibly blushed, it was too early in the morning to be "shrink-ed". "Q, who was sleeping on the couch before you got there?"

Just then Santana emerged from her room in a black tank top and grey NYU sweatpants rolled at the waist. Brittany's eyes roamed the Latina's entire body spending a little extra time focusing on where she could see the swell of her breasts.

"Britt, her eyes are a little higher than that." Quinn whispered in Brittany's ear, seizing the opportunity to take the spotlight off of herself.

As the taller girl's eyes connected with brown, and a smirk played on the Latina's lips, she knew that Santana had also caught her lingering gazes. "Britt, the person who was on the couch first would be none other than one Noah Puckerman. When I got up to take my shower they were still cuddled on the couch and I got this amazing pic. If I blow it up you can see drool and all."

There wasn't any drool, but Santana couldn't let Quinn know that she thought it was a cute picture. "Don't worry, Q, I saved a copy on my hard drive, memory card, email, iCloud, and I sent one to my work email address since I know you can't hack into that one."

Santana smirked as Quinn rolled her eyes. "Let's go eat breakfast before it gets cold."

* * *

"Ugh, I love getting away, but traffic is a bitch. The only thing making this bearable is my coffee." Santana said as she weaved through the congested city traffic.

"No, it's gross. Hot chocolate is waaaaay better."

"You've gotta be kidding me. Coffee is magnificent!" Santana exclaimed. She couldn't believe that Brittany hated coffee.

"Nope, there's only one way I'd drink coffee: if it had chocolate syrup, marshmallows, sugar, sprinkles…. Maybe DOTS. YUMMM!"

"But Britt-Britt, that's basically just drinking pure sugar."

"Duh that's why it's so good. I always have a ton of energy afterwards."

"I guess it's a good thing you're a dancer…" Quinn chimed in from the backseat.

"Yeah, good thing you're a dancer." Santana mumbled while sneaking a peak at Brittany. She was wearing her hair up in a messy bun, short jean shorts, tight light blue tank top, and white low top chuck's. Brittany was something else – something completely great and awesome. Oh, and hot. Definitely hot. You could see how every dance lesson paid off.

* * *

Santana noticed the flashing light on the answering machine as soon as she walked in. Two unheard messages. Listen now or listen later?

_"Mr. and Mrs. Lopez, the is Hank Grady calling from Forbes Magazine. We were calling about setting up a …" _

Santana stopped the message before he could continue. She saved it for her parents to listen to and skipped to the next message.

_"Hi Mija, it's your mother. You know, the one who went through 9 months of feeling like you were going to be a tap dancer or black belt, who went through 13 hours of labor, who changed your stinky diapers and cleaned up your vomit. You should call me. I miss you. Ohh, I had the fridge stocked for your weekend. I know you hate traffic and I didn't want your friends to see you go all 'Arlington Heights Adjacent' on some innocent store clerk. Give Noah kisses for me. Te amo."_

"Aww, your mom sounds cute." Brittany said, leaning against the doorframe.

"Ugh, Britt, she's anything but cute. She found a way to embarrass me even when she's 800 miles away."

"Wait, I thought you said this was your parents house. Are they not going to be here?"

"Ohh, no they won't be here. This is their vacation house and they only come here for vacation or if my dad has work along the coast."

"Wow, that's really cool. I love it. It reminds me of home- I haven't been to the beach on the East Coast before."

"Well, there's a first time for everything."

"San," Quinn yelled from the kitchen, "Puck and I are going to start lunch."

Santana and Brittany walked into the kitchen, "but it's getting kind of late. How about snacks now and we can roast hotdogs and marshmallows on the fire tonight?"

"Yesssss, 'Tana, I love smores!"

"I know you do Puck, I know you do. By the way, mami said she loves and misses you. You should probably call her."

He rolled his eyes, "I bet she really just said she loves me, but told you to call her. Not happening. Last time I fell for that trick she had me on the phone for over an hour talking to me about finding a girl, getting married, having babies. She even tried to give me hints on how to seduce a girl." Puck groaned thinking about it as the other 3 girls chuckled at his discomfort.

"Yeah, well atleast you can clearly understand what she's saying. She's always texting me something and half the time it doesn't make sense or autocorrect changes it into something ridiculous."

_FLASHBACK_

**_April 12, 2015_**

_Mom: how's the semester mija?_

_Santana: Good, mami. How's everything at home?_

_Mom: so far it's good. Though I did just pull a dick out of your pussy._

_Santana: A WHAT out of WHERE?_

_Mom: a dick out of your puppy._

_Santana: why is there a dick in Diesel?! lol_

_Mom: a tick. Oops._

_Santana: mami, I'm going to kill you_

___(end flashback)_

"And ever since I came out to her and my dad they think it's ok to talk about sex like it's nothing. My dad is better at being discreet, but my mom is ridiculous. There was this one time that she forwarded me a joke, complete with pictures, that someone else had sent her: _What happens when a girl uses corn on the cob as a dildo?_ _Popcorn in the vagina._ Then she had the audacity to try to serve corn on the cob with dinner. I ATE NONE OF IT. I still can't look at it or eat it."

"Oh my god, 'Tana, is that why you freaked out at dinner? I was trying to figure out why your mom kept laughing at you."

Santana scowled and crossed her arms. "Anyways, enough laughing at my expense. I'm going to go unpack my bag and take a nap. Mi casa es su casa blah blah blah… Puckerman, don't break anything."

* * *

Brittany walked up to the bedroom across from Santana's to put her stuff away. Since no one wanted to sleep in the parent's bedroom, Quinn and Brittany were sharing a room, while Santana and Puck had their usual rooms. Quinn had mentioned that Puck and the Latina were like brother and sister, but she didn't know how close they were. The fact that he had his own room at their vacation house, and that her mom mentioned him specifically in her voicemail, just solidified their strong bond. She hoped that one day her friendship with Santana was like that. Actually, no, she didn't want to have her own room, she wanted to share a room with Santana. _Wait, what? No, Britt, stop- it's too soon to think like that._ But that didn't stop a small smile coming to her face as thoughts of cuddling with the Latina the night before came flooding back into her mind.

As she set her bag down, she took a good look at the room. There was a large queen sized bed nested between two nighstands. A large Van Gogh painting hung on the wall, and a large walk-in closet and in-suite bathroom were on the other wall. The walls were a pale yellow and everything was accented in white and shades of blue.

_I can't change_

_Even if I tried_

_Even I wanted to_

_My love, my love, my love_

_She keeps me warm_

"Hello?"

_"Hey Britt, Puck went out to help S carry wood for the bonfire. Will you come help me in the kitchen?"_

"Yeah, I'll be right down. Hey Quinn, did you see that there was a large basket sitting on the old chest located at the foot of the bed?"

_"Yeah, San's parents left a goodie basket for us. They're really awesome. Come on, come help me."_

"Hey ladies, do you need help in here?"

"I thought you were helping San?" Britt asked while cutting more strawberries.

"I was, but she said she needed a minute, so I came to see if I could help in here."

Quinn put down her mixing utensils and turned to exit the kitchen. Before she could step out Puck wrapped his hand around her wrist and leaned in to whisper, "She needs to be alone. Give her a minute before you go out there. Trust me." She nodded, but still stepped away, so he walked over to her station and continued to make the fruit dipping sauce.

Quinn made her way out to the back porch. She could see Santana sitting on a blanket near the fire. She stood there looking out at her friend, wondering exactly what was going on in her head, when she saw a shoebox.

_FLASHBACK_

_"Hey San, are we doing anything special? Should I…" Quinn stopped midsentence taking in the appearance of her friend sitting cross-legged on her bed. She was sifting through a shoebox full of pictures and papers. "Hey, whatcha doin?"_

_"Um, just going through old stuff trying to figure out what to keep and get rid of."_

_"Do you need some help?"_

_"Yeah, will you take this stack of pics and cut Je..her out of them? I don't want to throw away good pictures of memories I'll never get back, but I don't want the constant reminder of her to stare me back in the face."_

_"Yeah, I can do that. As long as you're sure that's what you really want."_

_"I've never been so sure in my life, Q. It still hurts, but I'm ready to move on. It's been over a year and I'm done being miserable."_

___(end flashback)_

That had been a couple months prior to receiving the wedding invitation in the mail. She hadn't known what Santana had done with the contents of that box, but as she looked out at her friend she had a feeling what was going to happen. As if on cue, the Latina opened the box and started to toss the love letters, anniversary cards, and pictures into the fire. Quinn could see her movements start to slow and she saw telltale signs of her friend crying, so she walked out to the fire with a box of tissues in hand.

She didn't say anything as she neared the fire, but Santana must have seen her coming because she dropped the last item into the flames and turned to sob into Quinn's chest. Quinn sat on the blanket and pulled the smaller girl into her lap, all the while rocking and cooing into her hair, "shhh, san, it's gonna be alright. You're going to get thru this."

After a few minutes her cries slowed and her breathing returned to normal. "Q this may sound stupid, but I'm not upset over her. I was crying because I finally have my life back. I feel like a weight has been lifted off of my chest and I can breathe again. Does it make me a bad person that I feel like her presence in my life was suffocating me?"

"You don't have to feel guilty because you two didn't work. She tried to change you into someone you were never meant to be. Now you can do the things you love and you can grow into the woman you are destined to be."

Santana looked up, eyes still slightly red and puffy, "Thanks Q. You're a good friend."

Puck's laughter rang out into the night, no doubt his attempt to warn the girls of their approach, as he and Brittany made their way out of the house with the remaining items needed for their dinner. With his guitar strapped to his back, he carried the cooler that had the wine, fruit and dip, condiments, and solo cups. He knew well enough to know not to bring any glassware to the beach. Brittany was carrying the hotdogs, buns, marshmallows, and roasting skewers.

"Brittany, you can't fling a blazing marshmallow around like that! Haven't you seen Dennis the Menace?" Brittany pouted and Santana glared at Puck.

"Here Britt-Britt, you can have mine." Santana said handing over her perfectly roasted marshmallow. "I've had enough, and I really want more strawberries."

"Thanks, San!"

"Hey Puck, play us a song!" Brittany semi-yelled. "Ohh, play 'Six Little Ducks'! I love that song."

The girls got up and danced around the fire, drinks sloshing in their solo cups.

_Six little ducks that I once knew_

_Fast ones, skinny ones, fair ones too._

_But the one little duck with the feather on his back_

_He led the others with his quack, quack, quack._

**_Quack, quack, quack-quack, quack, quack!_**

They dropped to the blankets, clutching their stomachs from laughing. Puck continued to play funny crazy songs; it was nice seeing his best friend look so light and carefree. It had been a while since he'd seen her that way, and he was determined to help her savor this moment. "Hey Lopez, sing a song with me"

"Um, no, Puckerman. I don't sing."

"Don't lie, we sang in Glee together."

"Yeah, and as long as I've been your roommate I hear you singing when you cook."

"And I heard you singing in the shower this morning. Please sing again." Brittany pouted. Santana sighed, and tried to hide the smile threatening the edge of her lips. Brittany's pout was dangerous and she knew it. _I can tell that pout is going to get me into a lot of trouble._

Puck had a satisfied smirk on his face. Growing up with the Lopez's exposed him to the Latina's fiery personality. Which meant he learned a lot of Spanish.

_"Ella es hermosa, amable y generoso. Tiene ambición y sueños. "_

She's beautiful, kind, and generous. She has ambition and dreams. The blonde knew how to get through to Santana and he was going to make sure she stuck around. She was carefree, loving, and made Santana see the good in the world. Puck knew that, no matter what, the connection had been established, Santana just needed to let it happen. Kind of like the way it was for him and Quinn. They had been playing the merry-go-round for two long years. Yeah, he's attempted to ask her out on dates, but she's always turned him down. But lately, something seems to be different. Maybe he could try again.

"Earth to Puck!" Santana snapped her fingers in front of his face. "I'll sing one song, so pick wisely."

"Easy. 'Make You Feel My Love'."


	4. Make You Feel My Love

A/N: Thank you to all of the new readers, follows, and favorites. If there's something you want to see in this story let me know and I'll see if I can work it in. That being said, these first 4 chapters have centered around one weekend, but the pace is about to pick up- so get ready for that. Bonus points if you figure out the two movie references in this chapter! - J

* * *

Chapter 4: Make You Feel My Love

**_"Earth to Puck!" Santana snapped her fingers in front of his face. "I'll sing one song, so pick wisely."_**

**_"Easy. 'Make You Feel My Love'."_**

_"I know you haven't made your mind up yet_

_But I would never do you wrong_

_I've known it from the moment that we met_

_No doubt in my mind where you belong"_

It was really the perfect song for their individual situations, but only Santana was singing, and the heartfelt emotion that she put into it could be felt by each of them.

_"The storms are raging on the rolling sea_

_And on the highway of regret_

_The winds of change are blowing wild and free_

_You ain't seen nothing like me yet_

Sanatana's eyes were closed, but she could feel the intense stares of her friends and Brittany. Well, she guesses Brittany can be included in the friend category. She did help save her from Jen, after all. Yeah, Britt is her friend - just her friend, she tries to convince herself.

_I could make you happy, make your dreams come true_

_Nothing that I wouldn't do_

_Go to the ends of the earth for you_

_To make you feel my love"_

"Wow, you sound even better than when you did in the shower. And I thought that was fantastic!"

"Haha, thanks, B. Now, Noah, it's your turn to sing."

"Figured as much. I have a song picked out already."

Pucks deep voice complimented the smooth jazz sound of the Brian McKnight song he had chosen, and paired with the beautiful scenery, this night couldn't get any better. The sun had finished its descent and left the sky splashed with random streaks of hot pinks, reds and even hints of purples and blues.

Santana was having an inner debate. She wanted to be closer to Brittany, but couldn't just go over to her without a reason. Yeah, she was being a coward, but the last thing she needed was to make this trip awkward because she moved too quickly. When she looked across the fire she noticed blue eyes smiling in her direction, but was interrupted by a shiver. Puck, being the nice guy she had always known him to be, had given a blanket to Quinn. She smiled, now she finally had her excuse.

_"I want you for myself_

_I don't wanna have to share you with nobody else_

_I want you, baby_

_Come to me_

_Let me give you all the lovin' that you need"_

"Hey Britt, you look a little cold." Santana said while offering her hoodie.

"No, I'm okay. You keep it or else you'll be cold."

Santana rolled her eyes playfully and stuck her arm further out, "I won't put it back on, so I guess you'll just have to dance with me to keep me warm."

Brittany felt warmth shoot through her entire body. Her heart sped up and her stomach was doing nervous flips, it felt like there were baby butterflies trying to escape, and she could tell that her cheeks were a deep rose color. The things that Santana did to her with one simple touch astounded her. Never had she felt such an immediate connection with someone. She took Santana's outstretched hand and followed the shorter girl to a spot a few feet away from Puck and Quinn where they could still hear the music, but also had a little bit of privacy.

As the song was coming to an end Santana looked past Brittany towards Puck and gave a slight nod. He smiled in return and grabbed his iPod and dock. She turned her focus back to Brittany as she draped her arms on her shoulders. Brittany lightly placed her hands on Santana's waist, this wasn't the same atmosphere as the dance club and she didn't want to do anything to push the Latina further than she was willing to go. She was so caught up in the scent of Santana that she barely registered the change of song. She smelled the mix of fruity, fresh, and clean with a little bit of whatever her natural goodness was.

"Hey San, what scent is the shampoo that you use?"

"Um, I'm not sure: something eucalyptus and berry. I don't pay much attention to it. Why?"

"You smell really good." Brittany's cheeks flushed a deep red that was somewhat hidden by the darkening skies, but noticed by Santana nonetheless. "Um, I mean your hair smells good. Well, crap. It does, but that doesn't make me a creeper." Brittany tucked her chin to her chest and averted her eyes, silently wishing the sand would open up and swallow her whole.

Santana couldn't help the laugh that escaped her lips, "You're cute…. And you smell good too- like sugar cookies. I bet that's from all of the sugar you've eaten today. "

"Wait, can that happen? What if they made DOTS flavored shampoo and soap and perfume? I would be in heaven." Brittany exclaimed, eyes wide and twinkling. Even in the low light, Santana found herself captivated by the twinkling blue orbs that seemed to be shining a bit brighter tonight.

"What's with your love of DOTS, they're just little gumdrops."

Brittany led Santana over to a large piece of driftwood and took off the hoodie. Santana was confused until she noticed that Brittany was spreading it across the top of the log. Brittany nodded toward the hoodie as she sat next to it, and patted the spot to encourage San to join her. "Every time my family would go on road trips, the kids would get to pick out a piece of candy to take with us. My dad loved DOTS, my mom loves Razzles, and my brother always wanted suckers. One day I tried the dots and they became my favorite too. They're like little bursts of goodness and I could share them with the twins while they were too young to pick their own. My dad didn't like the lime and I didn't like the lemon so we would always swap. It's one of my favorite memories with him."

Santana smiled at Brittany, she couldn't wrap her head around how someone so wonderful could be so open and caring towards most everyone that she meets. They sat on the log for a while, listening to the waves crash against the bluffs, feeling content with their silence. For Santana this was a perfect way to end the night. Never had she felt so at peace in silence with someone else. But here, with Brittany close enough to feel the radiating of her body heat, Santana felt nothing but peace. She noticed movement out of the corner of her eye and turned, only to lose her breath at the look Brittany was giving her.

"Want to go on a walk with me?" Santana breathed out, still trying to catch the breath that Brittany stole.

"Yeah, I'd love that. What about Q and Puck?"

"I'll go tell them." Santana squeezed Britt's hand before she walked away.

"Hey Puck, can you come here for a sec?"

Quinn started to pick up her blankets to head into the house.

"First, Britts and I are gonna go on a beachwalk before we come back for movie night. Two, I saw you and Quinn kiss and since I'm going to be a good friend and not badger the shit out of you I need you to do something for me."

Puck averted his eyes and Santana could barely make out a faint blush creep onto his cheeks. "Umm, ok. We both know you're going to try to pry the info out sooner of later. But please, don't say anything about it in front of Quinn; I don't want her to freak out or regret it or anything. San, I like her."

"Noah, I care about you both, you know I won't do anything like that on purpose. However, as your best friend, I reserve the right to get all the juicy details at a later time. Now, back to my favor: I need to you go up to Q and B's room…"

Brittany was staring out over the ocean. She missed her family, maybe she would take the Latina up on her offer to call them for a video chat. Maybe she could even let them "meet" each other that way. _No, it's too soon to think that way._ Santana made her way back over to where Brittany was standing near the water. She turned the taller girls shoulders towards her and zipped the hoodie up her torso.

"There, now maybe your nose won't be so red." She said as she bopped Britt on the nose. They walked down the beach in comfortable silence, their hands accidentally brushing up against each other, until Santana mustered up the courage to slip her pinky into Brittany's. Nothing was said. Nothing needed to be said. Both girls could feel the hum of electricity shooting from their fingers to their hearts, and neither wanted to stop it.

* * *

"Puck, you're not doing it right. It's still too soft."

"Quinn, be patient. It takes time to get stiff."

"Fine, just make sure it stays wet or I'm gonna scream."

"No you won't. That would wake Britt and San and neither of us needs that this early in the morning."

**hey r u awake -B**

**Yeah, those two don't know how to be quiet. - S**

Brittany knocked lightly on Santana's bedroom door. "Hey, mind if I come in?

"Not at all, but it's still too early, so you have to let me lay here."

Britt moved to sit in the rocking chair by the window. "What are you doing? Get in bed with me. If I'm gonna be awake, I needs my cuddles." Santana felt the tell-tale signs of a blush, "I-I mean, it's kinda cold in here and body heat w-will help."

"Is that right? And what if I refuse?"

Santana gasped in mock horror, "You wouldn't dare refuse cuddles with me. That's just mean. There are starving kids in SoHo that would die for cuddle time with me."

"Well, I wouldn't want to be inconsiderate of their trouble." Brittany, with a half smile, said as she rose to her feet to walk towards the waiting Latina.

"Well, you better get over quickly before I send out a tweet telling them you're passing up on this opportunity."

The blonde jumped into the bed and slid under the covers, "Mhmm, you're warm."

"Britt! Your hands and feet are freezing! Get those things off of me!"

Santana tried to twist out of Brittany's grip, but she was surprisingly strong. No matter what she did, the blonde had a move to counteract.

"Pinned ya!"

"Hey let me up!" Santana pouted so Britt let her go, but she knew this was nowhere near being over. Santana laid still for a while, allowing her breathing time to calm down before she leapt towards Brittany again. They tumbled down, landing on top of the covers that had been haphazardly kicked off the bed in their wrestling match, and the blonde landed on top of the brunette with an 'oomph'.

Brittany quickly rolled off of her, "San, are you ok? Did I hurt you?"

Santana, still scheming in her mind, decided to make the close proximity last a little while longer. She had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from smiling when Brittany leaned in closer to check to see if she was still breathing. "Britt-Britt, I'm fine."

Suddenly a pale leg swung over a tan waist and the Latina flushed at the sight of a panting Brittany straddling her. Blonde hair created a halo around Santana as she leaned over. Santana's eyes fluttered shut at the feel of Brittany's breath barely brushing over the shell of her ear, _"pinned ya again…"_

And just as quickly as she was pinned, she was released. "So, how about we go get you your morning cup of coffee so you can wake up."

Santana frowned at the loss of contact and mumbled barely loud enough for the other girl to hear, "I'm pretty sure I'm wide awake already."

They tiptoed down the stairs, but stopped just outside the threshold of the kitchen, determined to eavesdrop on their unsuspecting friends.

_Puck stood very close, the length of his body touching Quinn's, forcing her back against the kitchen counter. His eyes fixed on hers, and his voice was smooth like syrup._

_"Tell me how you like it. Hot?"_

_"Yes."_

_"Dark?"_

_"Ummm, y-yes."_

_"Strong?"_

_"Oh please…"_

_His hand brushed her face, and he winked, as he reached past to take the coffee from the shelf._

"Dammit you two better not be defiling my parents kitchen!" Santana yelled as she marched her way into the room.

"Well, good morning to you too, Lopez. Nice to see you woke up on the bitchy side of the bed today." Quinn's voice dripped with sarcasm.

"We all know 'Tana doesn't play well with others until she's had her morning brew."

Santana rolled her eyes before going over to the espresso machine. She took out four mugs, and set three near the coffee pot, as she got the creamer out of the refrigerator. She then grabbed the other ingredients she needed set about making another drink. As the other three started plating their own food on the patio, Santana brought out the coffee pot, cream, sugar, and stir spoons. She then passed a mug to Quinn and Puck before going back into the kitchen. On her last trip out she bit her bottom lip as she handed Brittany a mug,

"I know you don't like coffee, so I made you my special hot chocolate. Be careful, it's still really hot."

"Who are you and what have you done with my 'Tana?" Santana flipped Puck off before turning her attention back to the blonde next to her.

"Aww, thanks San, that's really sweet." Britt leaned over and kissed her cheek before taking a sip of the special blend. "Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh my god. This is soooooo GOOD! Oh my god, my mouth is in heaven!"

"Wanky."

Puck leaned over to Quinn, "If this is a preview of their future, you might want to invest in some earplugs."

"If you want to hear anything like that from me, you better stop thinking of my friends sexually." She whispered back and fixed her signature HBIC glare on him.

Puck's eyes went wide as saucers and he held his hands in front of his chest in surrender.

"cough _whipped_ cough... And if those two talk any louder I'd think they were drunk." Santana said in a stage whisper.

Brittany slid her hand under the table and over to the Latina's knee, "San be nice."

Santana was about to protest that they always joked around like that when she saw the beginning of a pout form on the blonde's pink lips. "Okay," she looked away and mumbled, "sorry."

"cough _whipped_ cough" Santana glared at Puck as Quinn chuckled at their antics.

* * *

"Hey San, do you know how to skip rocks?"

"Yeah, B, do you?"

"No, but I've always wanted to learn. Would you mind showing me sometime?" Brittany shoved her hands in her pockets and slightly twisted back and forth looking down at her toes covered in wet sand.

"You're cute…" Santana accidentally let slip before she realized it. She continued, looking at the rocks near the cove as a distraction, "I'd love to. Let's look for rocks. We can gather a few then we can walk back towards the house. The water is calmer over there and it'll be easier to skip them there. Here look, they need to be smooth and flat, similar to this one." Santana held up a rock that was about the size of a silver fifty-cent piece, it was grey stripped, flat, and smooth around the edges.

Santana was bent over writing in the sand, waiting for Brittany to finish looking for a few more rocks. The blonde was so distracted by the ocean that she hadn't picked any rocks. Santana was still writing when Brittany walked past her to head back towards the blankets they had spread out near the house. She quickly dropped the stick she was using and jogged ahead to catch up with her. Quinn walked up to where Santana had been and took out her camera. There, written in the sand was "I like you. Do you like me?" She smiled at the cheesiness of her friend, but figured Santana still hadn't gathered the courage to ask since they had walked away before letting Brittany read it.

Puck snuck up behind her and started tickling her sides. "ahhhh, Puck. Stop I have my camera!" She said while laughing. Looking at the glint in his eyes, she was happy that she gave him a chance to prove her wrong. Now she just needs to find time to tell San and Britt if they haven't already figured it out.

"Hey, I know 'Tana wrote that, but I think you should answer it about us."

Quinn looked at him, noticing the slight hint of insecurity. She pulled him close and kissed him on the cheek before turning around and drawing something with the same stick Santana had used and walking away to snap more pictures of Britt, Santana, abandoned sandcastles, and some washed up driftwood. Puck took a deep breath and looked down before breaking out into a wide grin and fist-pumping the air.

* * *

"Santana! Put me down! You said you were going to help me skip rocks, not throw me in the water!"

"Britt-Britt, part of skipping rocks is going to retrieve them too!"

Brittany turned on her best pouty-face and looked at the Latina with big puppy dog eyes. Santana sighed and set her down in the sand. "Fine, you don't have to retrieve them." Santana shook her head and stuck her tongue out at Brittany, "You're lucky you're cute."

The blonde looked at the shorter girl with a hint of mischief before picking her up bridal style. "No Britt! Put me down! I didn't throw you in…. be niiiiiiice!"

Brittany did her best to run towards the water and carry a screaming Santana into the middle of an oncoming wave. Brittany couldn't help laughing at a sputtering Santana as she emerged from underneath the retreating wave. Her ponytail started to sag and strands of her dark locks were stuck to her face. Santana, laughing on the inside, kept her cool demeanor visible while she walked towards the laughing blonde.

Brittany, finally calming down, noticed the Latina wasn't laughing with her. She quickly stopped and waded towards her gearing up to deliver an apology. She opened her mouth, ready to promise Santana anything to ease her anger, when it was filled with a splash of salt water. The Latina didn't have a chance to laugh long as Brittany splashed her back, and an epic ten-minute splash war ensued in the shallow waters.

When they emerged from wrestling in the water Puck and Quinn were waiting with towels at the edge of the dry sand. "You guys might want to cover up, we can see your underwear through your clothes, and Puck has been ready to fight that group of guys leering at you for the last 10 minutes."

* * *

"San, are we eating inside or out?" Puck yelled from the grill.

Rachel, Mercedes, and Mike had made the trip out for the Sunday night barbecue. Kurt wanted to come, but his boss had called him at the last minute and asked for him to come in for a work emergency. What sort of emergency happens on a Sunday afternoon at a fashion magazine? Santana walked out with paper plates and biodegradable cutlery, "Outside, and thanks to Rachel we're eating on the fine china tonight."

"Look Santana, as much as you probably don't care about the environment- I do. And if we're going to be eating meals together I thought it would be a thoughtful suggestion for me to bring along something that would make the world a better place. You know, global warming isn't a myth. There's plenty of scientific data to corroborate with what has been said, and I for one, intend on doing all that I can to make sure my future kids have a lovely place to live."

"I could probably say something back to dispute most of what you just said, but for one: I stopped listening after you said 'Look'. And two: I don't gives two fucks. How about you try to do like the rest of us and eat, drink, be merry and less Berry."

"Fine, I can try to do that. I brought corn on the cob as well."

Santana's eyes got huge and Quinn and Puck snickered in the corner while Brittany wrapped her hand around the Latina's and cooed in her ear "It's okay, you don't have to eat it if you don't want to." Everyone else just looked on confused.

"Hey 'Cedes, didn't you grow up somewhere around here?"

"Yeah, Puck. Mike and I actually grew up about 15 minutes away. My grandma still lives in the same house. Mike, what about your parents?"

"Nah, my parents moved back to Canada a couple years ago to take care of my sick grandparents."

"Really? You always stayed around here during holidays, I would've totally invited you home with me if I knew that."

"Thanks, bro, but Tina was always here so I went home with her and her family quite a bit. I can't wait for her to get back here next week. A semester abroad is too long."

"Hell yes! Asian Persuasion will be back to wreak havoc with us!" Puck high-fived Santana as the dinner conversation picked up around them.

"Oh man, I'm stuffed! Britt-Britt, will you roll me down to the blanket on the beach?"

"San, I told you to save room for s'mores! Now how am I gonna get the perfectly roasted marshmallow?" Brittany frowned and her eyebrows scrunched up in thought.

"I'll still roast your marshmallows," _babe. _Santana internally scolded herself. _Whoa, you almost let that slip. Where the hell did that come from?_ Santana, so consumed in her inner turmoil and ongoing dialogue with herself, failed to notice Brittany talking until she felt long skinny fingers grab her hand.

"Hey, what were you thinking about? I asked if you wanted to come inside with me for a sec."

"Oh sorry. I was just thinking about how happy I am," _being around you,_ "and yeah, I'd love to come inside."_  
_

* * *

"Hey San, why did your parents leave us a basket of goodies in our room and not one for you or Puck?"

"What makes you think that basket is just for you and Quinn and not for all of us to share?" Santana asked with a hint of playfulness in her voice.

Santana was sitting on Brittany's bed while she was in the in-suite bathroom changing into slightly more comfortable clothes. The sun was starting to set and the breeze had picked up. It was still fairly warm outside, but sitting near the beach for another bonfire, the blonde wanted to make sure she was comfortable.

"Quinn told me that your parents always leave on for your guests. She also said that, no matter what you say, I shouldn't share any of the candy with you because it was meant to be ours and not yours." Brittany looked over at Santana, "But I like sharing and I wouldn't feel right eating it all and not giving any to you."

Santana felt her heart skip a beat and she smiled at the adorableness of the girl in front of her. Anyone else would've laughed at the dopey look she was more than likely showing, but she didn't care. Not when the look Brittany was giving her could be the cause of a heart attack from happiness.

"She's right Britt, mami and papi leave those baskets for our guests. Do you like the candy?"

"I don't know. I didn't want to eat anything without making sure it was ok." Brittany was looking down, scuffing her shoe on the carpet, and biting the corner of her bottom lip.

Santana, with basket in hand, walked over to the dresser where Brittany was standing. "Here B, this is for you. Pick out what you like and leave the rest for Quinn."

"San! That's mean; I want to share it all with Quinn. She's my best friend."

Santana nodded her understanding and turned to walk back towards the bed. "I guess you won't mind sharing these then…" Santana said as she took out the extra large box of DOTS and shook them in the air.

Brittany's eyes went wide and she screamed, "NOOO! Those are mine. She can have everything else."

"Now, Ms. Pierce, what happened to sharing everything because she is 'your best friend'?"

"Shut up, you. And hand over the DOTS before things get ugly!"

"Well, that's not the way to talk to someone who has your beloved DOTS held. I do believe I will require a ransom for you to get these back."

Before Brittany could process what was happening Santana was sprinting out the house towards to join the rest of the group. Brittany gave chase, but couldn't catch her before she sat down on the blanket next to Puck. Brittany joined the group and sat next to Quinn who was on the on the opposite side of Puck. Santana felt a slight pang in her stomach at the action, but she brushed it off as running before her food had a chance to fully digest.

Santana tried to pay attention to the group as they were talking and roasting marshmallows, but Brittany was making it difficult. She had asked Santana to roast a marshmallow for her and Santana had gladly obliged. After the first s'more had been made, Brittany devoured the entire thing in two big bites. The blonde noticed the Latina's lingering gaze and brought her sticky, marshmallow-covered fingertips to her mouth, and slowly licked them clean. Santana's mouth hung open and her eyes went a couple shades darker. They were brought out of their sexually tense stare down by Mercedes clearing her throat, "So, as I was saying J. Lo, where's everyone sleeping? I want to know before we open these." She said while holding up a few bottles of alcohol.

Santana leaned back and looked in the direction of the blonde, Brittany fixed her with a look that said, "This is nowhere near over."

"Aretha, there are floors and couches. You all will figure it out. Just don't touch my parent's room. It's off limits."

"Hey San, we have more than enough room to bunk up. Since Mike isn't spending the night we have enough room to share rooms. Mercedes, Britt, and I can bunk; and you and Rachel can share." Quinn, and a few others around the fire snickered at the appalled look Santana was giving her.

"No fucking way am I sharing my bed with the Hobbit. So, new plan bitch."

Brittany laughed, "How about Rachel and Mercedes share a room since they live together anyway?"

Rachel visibly let go of a held breath, "Yes! That sounds way better! But where will you and Quinn sleep?"

Puck looked at Quinn, but quickly averted his eyes when her green eyes met his gaze. Santana, looking between Brittany and her hands, kept opening and closing her mouth like she was going to say something but no words ever came out.

Mercedes, knowing exactly where this was going, elbowed Mike and he chuckled, "I'm sure they'll figure it out when it's that time."

Quinn, Brittany, Santana, and Puck all let go of their held breaths and nodded their heads in silent agreement. "Let's play 'never have I ever'!" Mike called out trying to ease some of the tension that had settled over the group. Everyone nodded their agreement and he proceeded to make everyone drinks.

Santana leaned back and softly called Brittany's name. Santana smirked and held the box of DOTS closer to her chest. Brittany, suddenly remembering how she had teased Santana earlier, knew she was in for a dose of her own medicine. The brunette ran her fingers over the edge of the box and brought it up to her cheek. She slowly opened the box and poured a gumdrop out while looking at Brittany, whose mouth was slightly parted like she was about to object, and laughed lightly. Brittany's eyes locked with deep brown and she pulled her best Robert De Niro "watching you" hand gesture, pointing from her own blue eyes to Santana's smiling face.

Santana, not breaking eye contact with bright blue, picked the red candy up and brought it to her lips. Her pink tongue poked out to wet her plump lips and she placed the DOT in between them. Santana closed her lips around the candy and her fingers and slowly swirled her tongue over them before pulling her fingers out. Brittany, who had been struggling to stay in her seat, let her eyes linger on the plump lips for a few more seconds before she let her gaze float back up to the chocolate orbs that were still trained on her. Santana noticed the slightly darker shade of Brittany's eyes and slowly let out a shaky breath. What was meant to be a little bit of teasing for Brittany, had turned into her own torture… And the night was just getting started.


	5. Hesitate

**A/N: The movies were Lion King and Meet the Parents! Great job to those who got it :)**

* * *

Chapter 5: Hesitate

_The human heart is a scary part in fact_

_'Cause I could break you and you could break me back_

_Though my head says just forget it_

_You'll get hurt and you'll regret it_

_Ask me now and I won't hesitate_

_I thought about it long and hard today_

_I realized I'm standing in our way_

_Usually my judgment's better_

_But with your blue eyes, hey whatever_

_Excuse me while I fall for you_

* * *

It's been three weeks and Rachel still refuses to look Puck in the eye. Like now, everyone is sitting at the table in the middle of the restaurant, having a delightful conversation about new projects and promotions. Kurt is talking about his new, handsome, model boyfriend Blaine. Mike is filling everyone in on what Tina and him have been doing since she came back from her semester abroad in London. And even though she's sitting across from Puck, Rachel won't look in his direction.

_FLASHBACK_

_"Rachel, I appreciate your desire to perform, but if you don't sit down you might fall in the fire." Mike called out to the short brunette. _

_"Yeah, or Satan might 'accidentally' push you in." Mercedes added._

_"Well, can you blame me for considering it? I heard Hobbits were magical. Maybe she will combust and I can use her ashes like fairy dust."Santana smirked, "Aww, that makes me wish Mr. Snow White was here…. Not because I miss him or anything, but just 'cause I'm sure the dust would be extra magical if I pushed him in, too."_

_Britt leaned over to whisper, "You know, it's okay to admit that you like having them around."_

_Santana shook her head defiantly, "Nuh uh. Not true. Never gonna happen."_

_"Whatever you say…" She entwined her pinky finger with the Latina's, "Is this ok with you?" Santana looked over into blue eyes and got lost for a little while, "Perfect."_

_But the tranquility didn't last long. "Ahhhhhhhhhh!" Six sets of eyes turned towards the scream. Rachel was hobbling around holding her leg high in the air. "What the hell is wrong with you?" Quinn asked as she rushed towards Rachel. _

_"No, stay back! Jellyfish. Stupid thing stung me on my foot." She started crying._

_"Rachel, I need to pee on your foot." Puck said as he walked over._

_"No. NO! Santana get me some ice or something. I'll just wrap it up, ice it, and elevate it and it'll be good as new in the morning."_

_"First of all, Stubbles, I'm not your damn maid. So you better check the tone. Secondly, Puck is correct. Urine is the best way to help right now. Third, and most importantly, there's no way I would go anywhere before getting a picture to forever memorialize this occasion."_

___(end flashback)_

Santana chuckled to herself at the memory and the pictures and video that she has saved. Rachel's eyes shot over to Santana and she scowled. "Santana," Rachel leaned across the table towards the Latina, "I talked to my doctor and he said that peeing on my leg WAS NOT the best option. He said that pouring seawater over my leg would have been fine. Or using vinegar would have been even more effective because the acid helps to neutralize the jellyfish sting. I will never let you," she pointed to the Latina then towards Puck who had turned to listen to the conversation with the rest of the table, "or him live this down. Payback will be ever so sweet. Watch your back."

"Okay, sweetie," Kurt started as he rubbed Rachel's arm to coax her back into her seat, "I think you should tone down the crazy a little bit. I'm sure Santana thought she was doing what was best." Rachel gave him an indignant look before yanking her arm away.

"Look Berry, I was just trying to help out: no matter what the hell your doctor says. And Prancy is right- I did what I thought was best. But, since you're so offended," Santana narrowed her eyes towards the slightly shorter brunette, "if you ever need my help again I'll make sure to leave you laying in pain as I go to the store to get vinegar or whatever the fuck else you need." She pushed her chair back and excused herself from the table.

All eyes that were turned towards the retreating form of the Latina quickly snapped towards Rachel who was still staring at the door that Santana had walked through. She cleared her throat, ready to explain her anger, when Quinn held up her palm faced out towards her in the 'stop talking' gesture. "Ok, Rachel, here's what's going to happen: I'm going to go talk to San and make sure she calms down and doesn't kill some innocent bystander. You," She fixed her HBIC glare on the girl, "will sit here and think about how selfish you are being. Santana has made a huge effort in trying to be nice to you. And, if this leaves this table, I will personally make sure your autographed poster of Barbra Streisand ends up somewhere you will never find it: Santana was the one who sent you the 'get well' basket of your favorites." Quinn shook her head and walked towards the exit.

"I never knew… She got me the Idina Menzel Live: Barefoot at the Symphony CD. How did she know that I love Idina Menzel? How was I supposed to know that she would do that?"

Puck shook his head, "Rach, I like you, but sometimes you have your head stuck so far up your own ass. 'Tana has always been a great friend, but most people never see it. You better make it right because she is the type of person that you never want to be on her bad side."

"Yeah," Mike started, "I remember when I first met her at the Delta party our freshman year."

_FLASHBACK_

_"Hey look guys, we have William Hung pledging Delta this year!" Azimio laughed and slapped Mike on the back. "Look don't take offense, we understand that you Asians can't dance or sing, but you're pretty good at karate so we'll be nice and set you up with some fine ladies and you can help us with our homework when we need it."_

_Mike looked at him, appalled by the blatant stereotyping that the big burly guy was attempting to pin on him. He had seen and heard some offensive things, but he never thought he would have to deal with it like this. Azimio, mistaking the look Mike was giving him, tried again "Oh, you no speak the English. You do my homework and I will get you girl." Azimio scanned the room and found a short Latina staring at him from across the way. "But not her. She's all mine."_

_Azimio pushed Mike away and smoothed out his shirt before returning his eyes to the Latina's figure. He eyed her up: skin tight red dress, high black stilettos, hair in a messy bun sitting on top of her head, long silver necklace that hung down in the valley between her breasts, and matching bracelet. She was smoking hot and Azimio got excited when she smiled and sauntered her way over towards him. Mike, who had been pushed out of the way and stood next to Puck, had a red plastic cup in his hand full of some concoction Puck had mixed. "Dude, this shit is disgusting, what did you put in here?"_

_Puck waved his hand dismissively, "No idea, but drink up. You're in for a good show." Mike looked confused until Puck pointed towards the Latina slowly making her way to their side of the room. "That is Santana, my best friend that I told you about." Mikes eyes went wide and he forgot all about his nasty drink as he watched the events unfold in front of him._

_"Hey there sexyness, how bout I grab us both drinks then I can give you a tour of my bedroom." Azimio oozed confidence as he ran his hand down Santana's bare arm._

_"Um, no thanks. I'm going to see them." She stated and pointed towards Mike and Puck._

_Azimio grabbed her arm and pulled her back towards him and his friends. "Really? You could do better than those losers. The one with the Mohawk is just a pathetic wannabe football player and the Asian probably isn't even big enough in the 'man department' to be worth it. Come on baby, I can rock your world." _

_Santana turned on her heels and squared her shoulders. "First off, my eyes are up here jackass. Second, if you believe any of the shit you just spewed, then you're dumber than you look. And believe me, you look like your relatives have been fucking each other for years. Third, if you ever so much as __**think**__ about insulting my friends again, I WILL find out and I WILL hunt you down. I'm from a rough neighborhood, I've got razor blades all up in here." She said motioning towards her hair. "And lastly, but probably the most important for you in this moment, you have less than a second to let go of my arm before my knee and your tiny little twig and berries meet. I kid you not when I promise that I will hit you so hard that your great grandkids will feel the pain. My breasts ache with rage and I'm looking for an outlet. So back the fuck up before I make you."_

___(end flashback)_

Mike sighed. "She didn't even know me, but she was willing to stand up to one of the biggest assholes in Delta to defend me. Puck's right, I've been around when she's defended some of the other people at this table. So think of that whenever you think she's just a bitch."

"Wait, she's stood up for you guys, too?" Kurt and Mercedes nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, girl, there were these girls making fun of my appearance. Normally I don't let it get to me, but I was having a bad day and everything was wearing me down. I started to walk away and she grabbed my arm and pulled me back over towards the girls."

_FLASHBACK_

_"Hey, girls, this here is my friend Mercedes. You can call her Ms. Jones." Santana nodded her head towards Mercedes who was standing there with her head down. One of the three girls started to speak before Santana interrupted, "Trampy McTramperson you've had your turn to speak, so shut your potato hole and listen up. Your mustache is thicker than a Middle Eastern dictator and your voice makes me want to jab sharp objects into my eardrums." She turned to the next girl in the group, "You are such a bug-eyed hypocrite. It's fucking hilarious how jealous of Mercedes you are. Every time she opens her mouth you're ready to kick her like a lost puppy. And you," She said turning to the last girl, "let me write you a reality check, richy bitch. I've seen what you can do, and what you can do is stand in the back, sway, and sing very, very quietly." The three girls stood there in shock. "And don't even think about trying to out-insult me. I'm from Arlington Heights; I was raised on insults. It's how my abuela put me to sleep at night, and she was not a nice lady. It wasn't until I got to kindergarten that I learned my name wasn't Garbage Face."_

___(end flashback)_

"I haven't had an issue with those girls, or any others since that day. It's something we don't talk about, but I realized that even though she can be a bitch- she's my bitch. And only those close to her will ever be able to see through that."

Just then Santana and Quinn walked back in and rejoined the group. "Santana, I apologize for my outburst earlier. I shouldn't have questioned your intentions. If you'd let me, I'd like to start over and prove that I want to make a more valiant effort to be your friend."

"Yeah sure, Berry. Just know you were two-point-five seconds away from finding out what happens when I channel the 'Heights'."

Puck walked back over to the table, "And, to toast away this little argument, you all should come to the bar later and have a few drinks on the house."

"Puck, I don't think that's a smart idea." Santana started before Puck waved her off.

"San, I know what I'm doing. It's in the budget."

"I'm still not sure it's a good idea." Looking around and noticing that all eyes were on them, "Um, maybe we should go talk over there."

"So," Brittany began after Puck and Santana had sat at the bar, "They work together? I thought you and San worked together."

"Yeah Britt, San and I work together at the magazine. We started taking gigs together a while ago and we do that part-time." Quinn stated.

"But working part-time sure doesn't afford that huge condo you guys share." Rachel said, then her eyes growing wide, she added in a whisper, "Is she a drug dealer? Are her parents mob bosses? Oh my God, she put a hit out on me didn't she? I'm too young to die."

"Calm your tits, Rach, Santana's dad owns some company. Right Quinn?" Kurt asked.

"Um yeah, he does." She started, not wanting to divulge which company. Santana was a fairly private person when it came to her family's business. She's had to deal with too many people seeking her out just to gain a connection. "But, that's not what her and Puck are talking about. Santana's family bought a restaurant that was going out of business and renovated it into a swank little bar across town. The bottom floor has the bar and stage for live performances, and the top floor is Puck's condo. When Puck decided he wanted to major in Business Management the Lopez's kept majority ownership, but gave him and Santana partial ownership as long as they worked there as well. So, Puck manages the day-to-day operations and San helps with the talent and inventory."

"Wait, Santana and Puck OWN 'Slay'?! I love that bar!" Blaine clapped his hands and bounced a little in his chair. Kurt laughed at the antics of his new boyfriend and leaned over to give him a chaste kiss. "Yes, honey, they do. We can go there tonight if you want."

"But it's Thursday and that bar is one of the hottest in the city…"

"Not to state the obvious, but we do kinda know the owners. I'm sure we can get in." Kurt winked at Santana as she sat back down.

"Yeah yeah, you heard Puck, drinks on the house. But there's a limit, and if you cause a scene you'll be put on the 'banned list'. Comprende?" Everyone nodded. "Now, on to the next items on the agenda: Britt's dance students have their recital Saturday morning, so be there. And the fourth of July is next week Friday; what are we doing?"

"You guys don't have to come to the recital, I'm not even dancing." Britt said as she played with her napkin.

Santana grabbed her hand and ducked her head for Brittany to see. "Hey, you are our friend and we support our friends and celebrate with them. Everyone will be there," she gave a poignant look to the others around the table, "to cheer you on and enjoy the awesome work you and your students have been putting in. Besides, if I have to sit through those damn off-Broadway productions no one is going to miss the spectacular show your class is bound to put on."

Brittany looked up and met the intense gaze of the Latina. Her eyes were shining and held something she couldn't quite grasp. She mouthed the words "Thank you" before turning back to join in the ongoing conversation.

"Well, now that we have that settled," Mercedes stood, "I need to head to catch the train back home. My grams said to let you all know that she's having a BBQ that you're all expected to come to for the fourth. Before you throw a fit: Yes, there will be non-meat options Rachel, but you should probably bring your own food just in case. And, yes, Mike and Kurt, Tina and Blaine are welcome. Any of you are welcome to bring a friend or date. I expect you there too Brittany, my grams is excited to meet the hot young dancer she's heard about. And you three," She said pointing at Puck, Quinn, and Santana, "I know you always watch the fireworks from your rooftop, but grams said she wants you there to, and I quote: 'fill your bellies then you can be on your way to do whatever it is that you hoodlums do.'"

"Well, I guess that's settled too. See you guys later this evening." Puck said as he was getting ready to leave for work and everyone else was headed their separate ways.

* * *

Walking in to 'Slay', Brittany was shocked by what she saw. She was expecting a large venue with a dance floor and neon glowing lights. However, what was in front of her reminded her more of the lovechild of a jazz bar and beer pub. Along the right side of the building was the bar section, currently manned by Puck and a few other bartenders. The wall behind the bar was full of beer taps with glass shelves stocked full of liquor bottles behind it. The distinct smell of hopps and oaken barrel aged whiskey was wafting through the air. Bar stools lined the dark black marble-looking bar top, and recessed lighting highlighted the mirrors behind the glass shelves.

The left side of the bar held the performance stage, complete with piano, speakers, and sound equipment. There was also a small area to dance; large booths, and small tables surrounding the dance area. The walls were a deep mahogany wood, and showcased a few pictures from around the city. "Hey Q, that looks like the view from your rooftop." Brittany said pointing towards a large panoramic picture of the New York skyline that hung at the back of the performance stage. "That's because it is. I took that picture when we first moved into the condo and Santana loved it. So she had it enlarged and hung it there." Quinn shook her head. "I asked her not to, but I'm grateful she did. I've been asked to be a photographer at some pretty cool events all because they saw that picture."

"So Brittany how long will you stay in New York?" Kurt asked as the girls joined the group.

"Well, the plan was to just come out for a while for the internship, but my best friend, being the awesome person she is, filled out a transfer application for NYU for me. So, I'm waiting to hear back if I get accepted into their program here for the fall semester."

"Really? What's your major? It would awesome to have you around more. I couldn't imagine living with those two and having to leave again." Mercedes said pointing to Quinn sitting at the table and Santana standing behind the bar.

"I was never great in school, but I've always loved helping people and being around kids. So I'm majoring in child psychology with an emphasis on art and music therapy. That's why this internship was so awesome to get: they specialize in music therapy for all children. The studio I was working with in San Diego turned away a child with Autism and I couldn't stand working there anymore."

"Wow, Santana's right. You have a heart of gold." Mercedes chimed in while Kurt and Blaine nodded.

"Yeah, San's not the easiest person to get along with when you first meet her, and from what Mike told me I knew you had to be like magic to have a hold on her so quickly." Tina added.

"Magic like a unicorn?" Britt asked and Quinn nodded, "Yeah Britt, you're like Santana's personal unicorn."

* * *

"So, 'Tana, what's up with you and Britt?" Puck was in the process of wiping down the bar mats while there was a slight lull in traffic.

Santana rolled her eyes at the nickname, "I don't know, Puck. I really like her, but I don't know what to do."

"What the hell are you waiting on? I see the ways you two look at each other- you're obviously attracted to her and she is definitely attracted to you. Hell, you guys practically have eye sex every time you're near each other. And if you were going for subtlety, the whispers and pinky-holding aren't helping you out."

"You're one to talk." The Latina scoffed at Puck. "You and Quinn are always doe-eyed when you're together. Everyone already suspects that you two are banging, why not just own up to it and let everyone know you're off the market?"

Puck sighed and slumped against the bar, "Because we aren't at that stage yet." He looked around before whispering into Santana's ear.

"You what?!" Santana exclaimed.

Puck quickly covered her mouth with his hand and turned to Matt, "Hey, we're taking our 10. You guys should be able to cover the bar while we check inventory." Puck grabbed the Latina and led her to the back, past the inventory room, up the stairs to his place, and out onto the balcony.

"You're serious. You and Quinn haven't had sex yet?"

"Dead serious. And it's not for lack of desire. I've had to take lots of cold showers lately, but I don't want to rush her. I really really like her and I don't want to screw this up. I mean, we just became an official couple, so it's still early."

Santana looked at her best friend. He had grown up from the troublemaking kid he used to be. He shaved the Mohawk freshman year of college, got rid of his old-beater pickup truck, was the manager of a bar that has been voted in the top five "Best Chill Spots" by NYU students for the past two years; basically, he was growing into the man that he had always dreamed he would be. Growing up without a dad, and with a single mom who worked three jobs just to make ends meet had made Puck a resilient kid. But, he wasn't immune to hurt like everyone expected him to be. His mother, with the best intentions, married a guy that promised her the world. And he was ready to deliver on his promise, but he didn't want Noah to be a part of it.

_FLASHBACK_

_Noah ran into the first grade classroom and found Santana sitting in the reading corner. He plopped down on the beanbag next to his friend and took her book and threw it across the room. "There's no time for a stupid book. You have to help me run away. My ma is tryin to send me to a 'bored school'. Her stupid boyfriend doesn't want me 'round and he promised my ma that he would take care of her if she took care of gettin rid of me." Puck said as his lower lip started to tremble and the telltale sign of fresh tears appeared in the corner of his eyes. Santana looked at her best friend and the scowl that had been on her face was immediately replaced with fear. The thought of him having to leave her was almost unbearable. She began to cry, and not a soft cry. She all out wailed, "It's not fair!" The teacher, seeing the interaction and hearing the ensuing commotion, came over to the reading corner to calm the two down before the class was set to begin, but they were inconsolable. _

_Puck was sitting in the blue beanbag with his knees pulled up to his chest whimpering and hiding his eyes so no one would know he was crying. Santana, on the other hand, was making it her mission to destroy the room. She had gone over to the bookcase and tried to knock it over, but it was heavier than she thought. So she did what any other six year old in her situation would have done: started kicking the bookshelf and throwing handfuls of books out the window while screaming at the top of her lungs. Any time a teacher would approach the little Latina she would shove her index finger in their face and yell, "Retroceder ahora. Sucederán cosas malas. (Back away now or bad things will happen!)"_

_"Mrs. Lopez, we need you or your husband to come to the school right away. We can't get Santana to calm down."_

_Mrs. Lopez walked in to the classroom less than ten minutes later. She had just left the school from dropping Santana off and wasn't far when the phone call came in. "Santana, what are you doing? This is not how you act!"_

_Santana dropped the book she was holding and ran towards the older Latina. "No es justo! No es justo! No es justo! Mami hacer algo por él. No puede salir el es mi amigo! (It's not fair! It's not fair! It's not fair! Mami do something. He can't leave, he's my friend.)"_

_"We were informed this morning that Noah Puckerman is leaving our school. His mom is sending him to a private school in another state." The teacher told Mrs. Lopez._

_"No she's NOT! Mami, she wants to send him away. Please let him stay. I'll share my room and my allowances just don't make him go. Please?!" Maribel picked Santana up and thought about her next actions. Santana didn't make friends easily and it was obvious that she was extremely attached to the little boy with the Mohawk. She walked towards the door, "how about we invite Noah and his mom over for dinner and see what all this fuss is about." Santana nodded and wiggled out of her mom's arms. She ran over and hugged Noah who was still sitting on the beanbag watching the exchange. He smiled and nodded his head before getting up and walking hand-in-hand with Santana back towards the door. Santana stopped in front of the teacher, "Thanks for calling my mom." She turned to walk away but received a stern look from her mom that made her turn back to the teacher, "and sorry about making a big mess."_

_Later that evening Puck and his mom Rebecca showed up to dinner. Her soon-to-be husband Michael said he didn't want to join their dinner and would just be waiting for them to return later that evening. Rebecca had known of the Lopez family ever since Noah and Santana had met the year before. Santana and Puck ate chicken nuggets and played in the backyard while the grownups ate and drank inside the house. Neither child knew the severity of the conversation going on, but the end result of the conversation and signing of papers was something they were both happy about._

_Rebecca called out, "Hey baby, come here and talk to your momma for a second." Noah dropped his dinosaur toy and ran over to the lawn chair his mom was sitting on. "Noah, you know Michael and I are moving and I was going to send you to that other school, but Santana and her parents have offered to let you stay here with them."_

_"Mommy, why can't I go with you? I'll be a good boy. I promise."_

_"You are a good boy, the best boy. But I know you and Santana are really close," she began to tear up at the thought of leaving her little boy alone, "and I think it's best you stay here with her. You guys will be best friends and protect each other like brother and sister. You be good, okay?" _

_Noah nodded his head and wrapped his little arms around his mother's neck, "I love you mommy. Don't forget about me." _

_Rebecca shook her head, "I will never forget about you. You are my little angel." She kissed his forehead and walked away nodding towards the two elder Latinos watching from the kitchen window._

___(end flashback)_

It was only later that Santana and Noah found out that Rebecca had granted temporary custody to the Lopez's. And after she had been arrested on trafficking charges, she completely signed her rights over so Michael wouldn't have a way to get to Noah. Neither mentioned the past, but they both knew Rebecca was right. They had grown up to be best friends, and were protective of each other like brother and sister.

"I'm proud of you, Noah. Quinn is a friend of mine, but you are my brother and best friend. Don't rush into anything; you'll both know when the time is right. And when that time comes, please keep you activities to this shit hole. I don't need to hear you- I had enough of that horror in high school."

Puck laughed and slapped her arm before turning serious again. "'Tana, I know you're scared because of what happened with Jen, but Brittany is nothing like her. Don't try to keep Brittany out—don't make her pay for someone else's mistakes. You've been single for 2 years, doing the one-night stand casual dating thing for too long. Give yourself permission to feel again."

"Puck, it's not just that. What if she doesn't stay here? What if she goes back to Cali? I don't do long distance. I can't handle not being able to be spontaneous. I want to be able to order take out and rent a movie on the way home. I want to look forward to sleeping in the same bed. I want to bring her lunch or surprise her with dinner in the park. I can't do that if she's on the opposite side of the country."

Puck nodded in agreement, "true, but she's here right now and you're not enjoying it because you're too worried about 'what ifs' that might never happen. Here's a 'what if' for you: What if she stays, but you never make a move? What if someone comes in and sweeps her off of her feet because you never told her how you feel? Don't let the 'what ifs' keep you from following your heart."

Santana sat there for a few minutes collecting her thoughts while Puck returned to the bar. The sun had set and she was getting ready to grab one of Puck's jackets when a hand brushed her shoulder and she almost jumped out of her skin.

"Hey, sorry I startled you." Brittany said with a sheepish look. She had on a pair of ripped holey jeans and a white 'I love NY' shirt with her white chucks. "Will you help me out? I'm kinda sore from class today and it's hard to pull my hair up."

"Come over here. High pony?" Brittany nodded and sat on the ground in between the Latina's legs. Santana started combing her fingers through Brittany's hair, "So, are you having good time tonight? Excited for your recital in a couple days?"

Brittany was having a hard time forming coherent thoughts. Santana smelled delightful. She had her normal perfume on; mixed with the scent of her shampoo and body wash, and it created an intoxicating mixture that left Brittany's head spinning. Pair that with the tight black jeans and low cut red v-neck t-shirt that the Latina was wearing and it's amazing that the blonde was able to speak at all. "Umm, yeah to both. God, San, that feels good."

Santana stopped massaging her scalp, "Wanky." Which earned her a slap on the knee from Brittany. After a few more minutes of silence, Santana cleared her throat, "Hey Britt-Britt. Will you, umm, will you goonadatewithme." She said in one rushed breath. Brittany turned so that she was kneeling in front of the Latina, "I'm sorry San, I didn't understand what you said." She smirked and waited for Santana to repeat herself. "Briiiitttt, why must you tease me?" Brittany just shrugged her shoulders and waited. "Fine… Will you go on a date with me?"

_I'm gonna knock you out (HUUUH!)_

_Mama said knock you out (HUUUH!)_

Before Brittany could give her an answer, Santana's phone rang. "Seriously?! My mom must have a sixth sense for this stuff." Brittany chuckled, "So that's your mom's ringtone?" Santana shrugged and pulled her phone out of her pocket and saw the Facetime icon ringing. She put her pointer finger to her lips to signal for Brittany to be quiet. "Hola Mami! How are you? How's Papi and Benji?"

"Mija, who's there with you?"

"What are you talking about? Why do you think someone's here?"

"A mother just knows these things. Why is your hair messy? Were you having sex?"

Santana groaned, "No mami, I'm not having sex I'm at 'Slay' and now you have to answer my questions."

"We are all fine. Now, your turn Santana Marie because you still didn't answer who's there with you…"

Santana looked at the blonde sitting next to her to silently ask permission and Brittany nodded her head and smiled. "Mija! I see you looking at someone, show me show me!" Santana rolled her eyes, but turned the phone so that Brittany and Maribel could see each other.

"Hi Mrs. Lopez. It's nice to meet you, I've heard really great things about you and your husband."

"Dear, please call me Maribel. I'm too young to be called Mrs. Lopez. I'm assuming you're the one my daughter has been going on and on and on about."

"Mami! I'm going to hang up if you can't behave."

"Geez, Santana, calm down. I've been asking you to introduce Brittany and me since I last talked to you and Noah. Speaking of Noah, where is he? I want to talk to him too and meet this Quinn girl."

"Ma, you've met Quinn. She's my roommate and Brittany's best friend."

"I met her long before she started dating my son, so it's time to meet her again."

Santana rolled her eyes before looking at her phone screen closely. "Mami, where are you?"

"Oh, just out running errands with your father and brother."

"Where? What state are you in?" Brittany looked at Santana quizzically.

"Ohh look at the time, we must be going before we're late."

"Mom, why are you in an airport? You're at Teterboro! Don't lie to me, I know that airport like the back of my hand!"

"Surprise! We just landed. We are coming to visit you and Noah while your father has some business to attend to in the city."


	6. I Am Not Yours

Chapter 6: I Am Not Yours

_I am not yours, not lost in you,_

_Not lost, although I long to be_

_Lost as a candle lit at noon,_

_Lost as a snowflake in the sea._

* * *

Santana woke up to a slight pain in her temple and the sun beaming in on her face. "Ughh, why the hell are my curtains open?" She mumbled into the empty room. She rolled over and pulled the pillow over her head, but she didn't stay there for long. The smell of hickory smoked bacon and her special blend dark roast coffee filled her nostrils. She slowly blinked again, trying to adjust to the light, and looked over at her bedside clock _9:13am_. There was also a glass of water, a bottle of ibuprofen, and a yellow post-it note

Sleepyhead, these are for your hangover.

Come down for breakfast when you wake up.

~B

Santana couldn't help the cheesy grin that took over her face. Brittany was amazing. But, why did she have a headache and hangover? She specifically said she didn't want to get drunk last night. The details of the night were kind of fuzzy. She remembered talking to Puck about Quinn, then asking Brittany out… but never receiving an answer. Brittany didn't answer her. The smile was immediately replaced with a furrowed brow and frown. Did Brittany not want to go out with her? Had she completely misread the girl's actions? Then she remembered the phone call that had interrupted the blonde…

_"Surprise! We just landed. We are coming to visit you and Noah while your father has some business to attend to in the city."_

"Shit." She threw the covers off of her body and sat up, albeit a little too quickly if the spinning of the room is any clue. She looked down at her barely there clothing and tried to remember the end of the night…

Puck… yelling… mami and papi and Benji are here… tequila… Then it all goes blank. Somehow she ended up back at her place, in her own bed, in her underwear. Maybe she should find Quinn and ask her to fill in the gaps. She threw on an oversized Kappa t-shirt and black leggings and made her way back over to her nightstand. Two capsules and a glass of water later, she slowly made her way down to the kitchen; her body in desperate need of her morning jolt of caffeine.

As she got to the dining room she took a look around: the place was spotless. The table was shiny with fresh cut flowers in a vase, the living room had been swept and dusted, the blinds were pulled back revealing freshly cleaned windows, and the couch actually had the appropriate throw pillows and blankets. Just then Quinn walked in from the laundry room, "It looks nice doesn't it?"

Santana nodded and looked at the basket Quinn was carrying, "why do you have my clothes? I told you to stop borrowing my shit without asking."

"I was just bringing it to your room. Britt gathered the scattered clothes from all over the apartment and started our laundry. I told her I'd finish it since you were still sleeping and she was cooking. So, drop the 'tude bitch. Oh, and get yourself some coffee because I'm not dealing with your grumpy ass all morning."

Quinn started to walk past Santana but stopped when she noticed the Latina hadn't moved an inch. She followed her line of sight and shook her head, "You know, she's the one who took care of you last night. You started blabbering on and on about how awesome she is and how she has hair like sunshine and eyes prettier than the ocean."

Santana turned around to look at Quinn, her cheeks heating up, "n-no I didn't…. did I?" Quinn shook her head and Santana slapped her on the arm.

"No, you didn't. But the look on your face was entirely worth it!"

Santana turned her gaze back towards the kitchen. The blonde was in teal campus crop pants from Victoria's Secret, a black racerback tank top, and no-show black socks. She had her iPod strapped to her arm and headphones in dancing away to the music. Santana leaned against the doorway and admired the way Brittany moved to, what she assumed, was a very sensual club mix beat. The dancer swayed her hips as she flipped the eggs over and she wiggled her bottom in the air when she bent over to check the croissants in the oven. She pulled the baking pan out of the oven and turned to move them to the cooling rack on the center island when she saw the Latina smiling from the doorway. "Whoa San, you scared me!"

"Over easy?" Santana inquired while pointing to the skillet still on the stove.

"What? Oh, yeah. You don't have to do that, I can get it." Brittany said, taking the spatula from the Latina's hand.

Santana hugged Brittany, "Good morning, thanks for the meds and help around the house… you really didn't have to do any of this, but I appreciate it." Brittany nodded and tucked her chin to her chest, trying her best to hide the blush that was creeping up on her cheeks. "So, how about I make some fresh juice? I can do it while you're finishing up. Quinn is going to love you for cooking all of the bacon."

"Yeah, she basically demanded it when she saw I was cooking breakfast. She's been that way since high school, I swear she needs to get help for her pork addiction."

"Just. Wanky… and incredibly gross considering she's with Puck."

* * *

"B, what're you doing today?" Quinn asked while popping another piece of bacon into her mouth.

"Seriously, Q, could you try swallowing the food in your mouth before stealing the bacon off of my plate?" Santana rolled her eyes and moved her plate out of her roommate's reach.

"I have to run to the studio to make sure everything is set up for tomorrow. I'll probably stay for a bit and run through a routine I've been working on and then San said something about going to a concert later."

Quinn looked at Santana, who was finding more interest in her croissant than in meeting green eyes, "Yeah, we're interviewing Timeflies. I think the rest of the group is planning on coming too."

Brittany bounced in her seat and clapped her hands, "Yesssssssss, I love them! They do 'Timeflies Tuesday's'. I've put together a few routines based on their remixes. I'm soooooooo excited, they're definitely one of my favorites!"

Santana, overcome by a wave of emotion she couldn't quite name, smiled at the blonde's excitement. "Thanks for breakfast, Britt. I feel a ton better."

Brittany nodded and got up to follow the Latina into the kitchen with her empty plate. "I'm glad it helped." Britt placed her dishes into the dishwasher and turned to face Santana, "how much do you remember about last night?"

The Latina shifted her weight back and forth between her feet. Did she want to bring up that she remembered asking Brittany out? What if Brittany didn't want to go out? Maybe she should just leave it alone. "I remember talking to my mom and figuring out that they were in New York. Then it all goes a little fuzzy."

"Yeah, you hit the tequila pretty hard. You kept saying she was going to try to embarrass you, needing to clean the apartment, and then you went after Puck because you thought he knew but didn't tell you."

"Oh, crap, maybe I should call him and apologize."

"He didn't seem too upset. After he closed your tab you started cussing him out in Spanish. I only caught part of it, but something about being able to drink however much you wanted, and then you broke down crying. He brought us all back here and he put you to bed. He's the one who told me you need croissants and coffee in the morning after a hangover."

"I'm sorry you had to see that Britt-Britt. It's no excuse, but you don't know my mom. She really will do something to try to embarrass me, especially since she knows," _that I like you_, "that you're here and haven't heard her wonderful stories before."

"San, no matter what she says, I'll probably find it adorable. Hearing stories about a little version of you will be fun. Don't be a sad panda, just enjoy dinner with them tomorrow night and let it go from there." Santana smiled at the blonde's kind words and nodded her head. Before she could turn to leave Brittany pulled her in for a hug and Santana melted into the embrace. The tension that was in her body immediately left and she felt like a weight had been lifted off of her shoulders.

Brittany let the Latina go and walked towards the dining room. Before she crossed the threshold she turned back, "by the way, my answer is yes."

* * *

"Hey Q, make sure you get a few close-ups of the mixing deck and maybe play with the lighting a little bit."

"Dammit Santana, I know how to do my job. You just worry about writing something good."

They had just pulled up to the small brick building outside of Manhattan. Timeflies was holding a private concert, and as the best reporting/ photographer duo their magazine employs Santana and Quinn had been the first selection. And, not to anyone else's surprise, had been personally requested by the band to do the interview. They've been making waves in the entertainment reporting industry since they interviewed Emeli Sande a few years ago. Santana, known for her hard hitting questions, sarcastic demeanor, and witty retorts was promoted from unpaid intern to lead journalist after Sande praised her work. In a move most criticized, she told the magazine she would only accept the position if she got to choose her own photographer. They reluctantly agreed after she "accidentally" let it slip that a few other entertainment magazines had called her to set up job interviews with her. Quinn, none the wiser, happily accepted the opportunity to get away from being the photographer for a local small newspaper.

"Ms. Lopez, Ms. Fabray, please follow me back to the green room."

"Rob, Cal, nice to meet you. I'm Santana and this is my colleague Quinn. Now, we have our normal way that we interview, but a little birdie told me that you have something else in mind. Care to enlighten us?"

"Well, Santana, we like everything that we've seen of your past work, but we thought we'd change it up a bit. We've decided that we will only answer your questions if you do the same. Both of you." Rob stated.

Cal jumped in before Santana could object, "Of course it's your discretion as to what you include in the final piece, but we'd really love it if our interview could go this way."

Quinn could see the Latina clenching and unclenching her jaw, so she remained quiet to let her gather her thoughts. After a few uneasy minutes passed, and mumbled Spanish could be heard, Santana smirked and nodded.

"Yeah, we can do that. But here's the thing- you both have to answer, but you can only choose one of us to answer per question. We also want to have the exclusive rights to whatever pictures we take, autographs for our friends who like your music, and four tickets to a future show of our choosing. I understand if that's more than you were expecting, but those are our conditions. If you agree to those terms, Quinn will be talking pics while I conduct the interview. Then we'll stick around for the show so she can get some action shots and a few of our friends will meet us up here for your show later."

Quinn quirked her eyebrow and leaned over towards Santana, "autographs for our friends who like their music, huh? I'm pretty sure Britt is the only one who knows about this group." She whispered, just loud enough for Santana to hear. The Latina ignored her, but Quinn knew she heard because the girl's flawless complexion was a tinge rosier than normal.

Rob and Cal looked at each other and chuckled, "You live up to your reputation. We agree to all of your terms."

"Alright guys, let's get this show on the road. What do you think about when you are alone in your car?"

Rob: "Ummm, probably whatever is on my to-do list for the day."

Cal: "Yeah me too, that and thinking up new music. What about you?"

Santana: "Usually lots of profanities and karaoke. I have horrible road rage."

"What song best describes your work ethic?"

Rob: "With the new album, I'd say 'Under Pressure' by Queen!"

Cal: "I'm a Rolling Stone,' because I take it as it comes."

Santana: *Cough WANKY Cough*

Quinn: "She Works Hard for the Money."

"If you were to get rid of one state in the U.S., which would it be and why?"

Rob: "New Jersey. Jersey Shore- 'nuff said."

Cal: "Wait, you don't like J-Woww? Blasphemy. I'd say Montana. I'm not sure what's there anyway."

Santana: "Michigan. Can't help it, I'm an Ohio State Buckeye at heart."

"Alright guys, our 20 minutes has flown by. Last question to wrap this up was sent in by one of your biggest fans: a penguin walks through that door right now wearing a sombrero. What does he say and why is he here?"

Rob: "What? Well, his flight was delayed so he stopped in for the concert."

Cal: "He says: 'where's the sunscreen?' because he think's New York feels like sauna compared to his arctic home. Haha, I like this fan! I wish I could meet him."

Santana: "You're in luck, **she** will be here later for the show."

Santana stood and Quinn joined to shake the guys' hands, "thanks for being great hosts. We'll let you get ready and wait out in the bar area for the show to start."

* * *

Quinn and Santana walked over to their VIP reserved table where Mercedes, Kurt, Blaine, Mike, and Tina were waiting. "Hey Satan and Barbie, where are your better less bitchy halves?"

"Whoopi, need I remind you that you got in here for free? You best behave. And to answer your rude ass question, Brittany and I are only friends and she will be here after she's done going over a few more things for the recital tomorrow morning."

"Puck can't come because he's with the Lopez's for the evening." Quinn added shyly from the side.

"Well atleast one of you has the cojones to live life a little. And, yes Satan, I know what cojones means- I am a gay man."

"Then, lady lips, you should be well aware of my ability to cut them off and shove them down your throat…."Santana frowned, "Q come with me to the bar to get a drink, I need to get the image of balls in Kurtsie's mouth out of my head."

_"We just did an amazing interview for the magazine 'The Outsiders'. So this last song goes out to the dynamic duo of Ms. Santana Lopez, Ms. Quinn Fabray, and their group of friends who came out to see us play."_

"Hey babe, which one answered about the sunscreen?" The dancer had just arrived from her last minute check on the studio; she tried to ignore the way her heart sped up at her slip of tongue. Meanwhile Santana was feeling her stomach flip from how amazing it felt to be called 'babe' by Brittany. It was the first either of them had let a term of endearment slip and the Latina wanted to hear it again, but the blonde looked like she was about to pass out.

"Hey, hey, look at me," Santana tried getting blue eyes to connect with hers, "Briiiiiiiittttttttt, please look at me." At that blue eyes snapped to brown and a smile played on both of their lips. Santana linked her right pinky to Brittany's left, "c'mon, I'll introduce you to the guys."

* * *

"Santana Marie Lopez, wake up now!"

Santana rolled over in her bed and tried to cover her head with her pillow, but was stopped by a huge weight landing on her stomach. "Oooomph, what the hell is going on?" She opened her eyes and noticed curly hair in her face and in an instant her bad mood was gone, "Benji! Get off of me you big lug!" The younger Latino rolled off of her and stood at the edge of the bed with his hand extended towards her. She grabbed it and he pulled her into a tight bear hug, "God, I missed you sis!"

"Holy cow, what has mami been feeding you? You're HUGE!" Benjamin Lopez was almost nothing like his sister. While they shared the same skin complexion, and Lopez dimples, that was about it. He had short curly black hair that fell across his eyes that were almost midnight black, he was about 6'2" tall, and was built like a football linebacker. He was almost completely solid muscle.

"Santana, it is 7:30 in the morning, what is all of the noi…" Quinn walked into Santana's bedroom, rubbing her eyes from just waking up, in her cotton underwear and an old t-shirt. She stopped in her tracks, words failing her, cheeks and ears turning bright red, when she noticed Maribel and Benjamin eyeing her attire.

Maribel slapped Benji on the back of his head, "Avert your eyes, pervert. That's Noah's girlfriend."

He smirked the signature Lopez smirk before turning his head, "I figured as much since she's wearing his favorite Nequa football shirt from high school."

Quinn mumbled out an apology before running back to her room.

"Hey San, I'm about to go to the studio. What time…" Brittany stopped in the doorway and looked at the other people in the room.

Benji quirked his eyebrow and walked towards the blonde, "Well hello, beautiful. Is your last name Campbell? Cause you look 'mm mm good'!"

He took her hand into his and leaned down to kiss the back of it, but Santana slapped his arm away. She slid between him and Brittany and crossed her arms across her chest and narrowed her eyes at him. The taller boy looked between his sister and the blonde, who was sporting a large smile and whose eyes were trained on the Latina in front of her, and made the connection he had been too oblivious to see before. He took a few steps back, hands held in front of his chest admitting his error, and made his way over to stand behind Maribel. The older Latina shook her head at her son's antics and noted her daughter's instinct to protect and claim the blonde.

"Hi dear, I'm Maribel, we talked on the phone a couple days ago. Don't mind my daughter's manners. This is Benjamin, Santana's little brother." Benji nodded and waved before abruptly stopping after seeing Santana take a calculating step forward.

"Hi, Benjamin, it's nice to meet you. And Maribel, it's nice to finally meet you in person. I'm sorry I can't stay for breakfast, but I have a recital this morning. I'll see you later at dinner, though."

"Oh dear, no worries. We'll actually be accompanying Santana to your recital, if that's ok with you."

"Sure, that would be great, but you do realize I'm not dancing, right?" The blonde looked down and away, slightly nervous of having so much attention on her at the moment.

"Yes, Santana told us about the program. We're excited to see the work you've been doing, as is Santana. She can't seem to stop gushing about you."

Santana groaned, "Mami, pleeeeeease stop!"

Brittany entwined her pinky with the Latina's and bumped their shoulders together, "aww, you talk about me with your family?"

"Yeah, you're all she ever talks about." Benji chimed in while sticking his tongue out as his sister.

Santana's ears and cheeks started to feel like they were on fire, and she was in desperate need of some air. Brittany squeezed her pinky causing her to look up into crystal clear blue eyes and relax a little, "Well, it seems like you have the same problem as my family seeing as I can't seem to stop talking about her to them as well."

Maribel and Benji slipped out of the room, "Santana, Ben and I will be in the Lion's Den. Come get us when you're ready to go to breakfast."

"Oh my gosh, I really hope she meant the man cave because the Lion's Den is… ugh, gross"

Brittany chuckled, "So, I really do need to get to the studio. The program starts at 11 and I have a row saved for everyone, I'll add in a few more chairs for your mom and brother. Will you dad be there too?"

"I don't know. I'm pretty sure he's going to try to finish his meeting early, but he might not make it til dinner time. Mami said something about him being in meetings all day yesterday and today."

"Ok," Brittany leaned down to give Santana a hug; "I'll see you in a few hours."

The Latina kissed Brittany on the cheek, "Yeah, B, you'll do great. Your kids are going to be fantastic."

* * *

"Brittany you were amazing out there! The kids were spectacular!"

Brittany couldn't do anything to hide the rapid blush covering her face, so she quickly averted her eyes away from Nicolas Lopez and studied her sock clad feet. "Mr. Lopez, you're too kind. I was backstage the whole show. But I will agree, the kids were absolutely amazing!"

"It's Nicolas, Mr. Lopez was my father. And whether you were backstage or not- the passion and dedication you have rubbed off on the kids. They couldn't have done what they did if you weren't an amazing teacher."

"It's true dear, Nicolas and I knew we could expect a great show; Santana hasn't stopped talking about how great you are. But, the show your kids put on today blew us away. We can't wait to see you out on that stage, doing what you are obviously passionate about, someday soon." Maribel was in the kitchen preparing arroz con pollo, steaks on the grill, vegetable tamales, and pao de queijo.

"Thank you, both. I'm just really happy I'm able to do something that I love while making a difference in the world of kids that are often left out. The program at Mark Morris Dance Center has been absolutely amazing… Anyway," Brittany dried her hands off from washing them in the sink, "would you like some help? I can take a quick shower and be back in like five minutes."

"Yeah, mami, do you need some help?" Santana walked in to the kitchen and washed her hands at the sink.

Nicolas looked at his wife, who gave him a knowing smirk, then back at his daughter and shook his head. He had heard plenty about the girls' interactions from Maribel, but the fact that Santana was willingly offering to help instead of playing games with the boys, was something he couldn't quite wrap his mind around.

Maribel chuckled at her husband's speechlessness, "Girls why don't you go relax for a little while; I think your father and I can handle it in here. Dinner will be ready in about an hour." Santana nodded and was halfway out the door before she turned back to tug Brittany along with her.

"Oh my, you weren't joking with me." Nicolas stated, still staring towards the empty doorway. "I'm guessing you're going to want me to have a few more 'business trips' out this way?"

"Honey, you know I don't need a reason to come to New York, but it would make her a little less suspicious if she thought it was because of business rather than wanting to see how happy Brittany seems to be making her." Maribel blushed and shrugged her shoulders, "besides, if things continue to go this way we should probably get used to coming out here and adding a few more spots to the dinner table back home. Santana isn't the only one who seems to be smitten with a blonde in this apartment. Have you seen the way Noah looks at Quinn?"

Nicolas wrapped his arms around Maribel's waist and pecked her lips, "Oh boy, I remember when I was a love struck young man… Here's to hoping they are as lucky as I still am."

* * *

"Awww, come ON! He was in there! This Madden game was shit three years ago and it's still shit now!" Puck gripped his xbox controller tighter and yelled at the TV screen.

"You know, big bro, yelling at the TV won't help the fact that you chose the suckiest – with a capital 'S'- team in the league. Who picks the Bears? I'll tell you who- no one who wants to win games. Cutler can't throw for shit and their running game can't get past Lewis and my Ravens." Benji taunted from the other side of the couch.

This scene was like déjà vu. Every opportunity they had, the boys would sit in front of the television to play Madden '12. Every year it was the same thing: Puck threatening to chuck the controllers into the TV, Benji calling him a "little bitch", Puck yelling, Benji doing the end zone victory dance of Jacobi Jones, Puck drinking and coming up with some way to try to distract the younger boy so that he could pull off a last minute win.

Every year. Same thing.

"It's time to man-up or shut up. Loser has dish duty."

Benji thought over the wager for a minute before responding, "You're on. You know mami is making pao de queijo, right?"

Puck nodded, "sure do- and I have no desire to wash those dishes. It's good and cheesy, but is a bitch to clean up after."

"Speaking of bitches," Benji pointed to Ray Rice running into the end zone, "I just made you mine."

Santana, Brittany, and Quinn had been watching the interaction from across the room. "They seriously do this every time they're together?"

"Yep, so you better get used to it, Q. Besides, I egg them on because I hate doing housework. Ben is too young to drink, so Puck always bets some sort of chore: laundry, dish duty, sweeping, mowing, garbage detail, etc."

"Wait, so you always got the good end of the deal without having to play?" Brittany inquired.

"No, they both tried to play against me, but they kept losing. They thought I was cheating, but they could never prove it." Santana shrugged, "which of course was true. I used to make the guys in high school give me the cheat codes so I could win at whatever game they were playing. Puck never knew because the guys were afraid of my lethal kneeing abilities."

"Wow, you're like 007 all secretive and charming. Remind me to call on you if I need some secret way to get my way." Quinn said sarcastically as she walked over to the bar.

Brittany and Santana followed. "Q, you act like this," the Latina said pointing to her own body from head to toe, "can be taught. It can't. But even if it could, I wouldn't let my secret out. This here is one of a kind- don't you forget it." She winked at the shorter blonde before grabbing a few liquor bottles from the shelves to make strawberry margaritas.

"Hey, Puck, what's the score?" Brittany yelled from her bar stool.

"70-64. I'm leading with 44 seconds left in the 4th. Ben has dinner dish duty!"

"Are you serious? Both of you suck, there's no way a good defense would allow that many points to be scored against them." Santana scoffed and turned on the blender.

"'Tana, you can't distract me like that. I need to be able to concentrate!" Puck yelled. He was standing in front of the couch, too excited to sit any longer.

"Calm your tits Puckerman, the blender was on for two point five seconds." Santana leaned towards Quinn and Brittany, "you know we won't hear the end of his gloating if he wins against Benji." Quinn smiled, nodded towards the girls, and grabbed her hurricane glass full of red liquid.

"Hey Noah," Quinn called out as she sauntered over to the recliner, "San made margaritas, do you want me to pour you one?"

"Umm, not right now Quinn, maybe after the ga-" Puck started, but was quickly cut short when he glanced in the blonde's direction. Quinn was wearing a short grey and yellow sundress with a plunging neckline. Her bangs were swept across her forehead, and the rest was pulled up into a low ponytail draped over her shoulder. Puck's eyes roamed over her figure shamelessly, and his mouth went dry. Quinn took the straw out of the glass and brought the end to her lips. She closed her eyes and swirled her tongue around the tip while letting the liquid glide down her throat.

"Yessssssss, I win! Bow down to me, bitch!"

Puck was brought back to the present by Benji's loud yelling. His eyes focused on the TV screen, 70-71. "Dammit!"

"Boys, language!" Maribel scolded from the doorway.

"Sorry mami."

"Sorry mama Lo."

Puck threw his controller on the couch and stalked over to the bar, "I'll take that drink now. Hold the sour and the strawberry."

Santana pulled a shot glass out for her and her best friend, "two tall tequilas coming right up."

Quinn walked up to Puck and leaned down to whisper in his ear, "_don't worry, I'll make it up to you later…_"

* * *

"Maribel, this was the best meal I've had in a really long time! I'm so stuffed." Brittany leaned back on the couch and patted her stomach.

All seven had enjoyed a large dinner, with enough for leftovers to last a week, and were currently sitting in the living room enjoying light conversation and a fire in the fireplace.

"So, how long will you all be in the city? Maybe we can plan something else before you leave." Quinn asked the Lopez parents.

"We'll be here through the holiday—we're staying at the house in Montauk over the holiday weekend. You all are more than welcome to join us there if you want." Mrs. Lopez suggested.

Puck shook his head, "Actually, mama Lo, Mercedes is having a barbecue for the fourth and she extended the welcome to you three when she found out you'd be in town. So, you guys should join us all there. Her grandma lives about 15 minutes from the beach house."

"Well, that sounds like it might be fun. We'll talk it over and let you know, ok?" Puck and Santana nodded their agreement.

"So, what was this one like when she was little?" Brittany patted Santana's thigh as she spoke to Maribel and Nicolas.

"Oh, dear, you wouldn't believe our stories if we told you." Maribel started.

Santana quickly jumped into the conversation, "yeah, you wouldn't believe them and you shouldn't. They exaggerate. So, let's just pretend this conversation never happened and move on?"

"'Tana, you just don't want them to talk about your affinity for cursing and nakedness." Benji smirked and looked over the room, "which we all know is something that you can't deny to be true."

"Benjamin, don't forget that we have plenty of stories about you as well." Nicolas took Maribel's hand, "C'mon honey, let's play 'Shit My Kids Did'."

Santana scowled and leaned in towards Brittany, "I'll remember this for when I meet your family." Suddenly the weight of her statement hit her. "I m-mean, if I meet them." Santana's cheeks flushed and Brittany took her hand, "I can't wait for you to meet my family, even if they tell embarrassing stories about me."

"Papi, remember when mami had to buy you a new TV for the living room?" Benji smirked in his sister's direction. Santana narrowed her eyes in his direction and flipped him off.

_FLASHBACK_

_It was the Monday after Santana's 4th birthday party. Nicolas was in the shower getting ready and Maribel was in the kitchen chopping and dicing vegetables to put into her breakfast egg scramble. Today was the day Santana had to go in to the school to test for early kindergarten placement. Maribel had just finished whisking the eggs when she heard a loud crashing sound._

_She rushed into the living room only to be confronted with a horrible mess. The candy bowl that had been on the TV stand was knocked over, its contents scattered across the floor. The large flat screen television was shattered across the middle. "Santana Marie Lopez! Where are you?" Maribel looked around the living room, but found no sign of her daughter. She walked up the stairs and peaked into Benjamin's room, the ten-month old was sleeping soundly in his crib. Maribel looked around the room; no sign of the little girl. Maribel walked across the hall and into Santana's room. The little girl's room was full of toys strewn across the floor, bed still unmade, and clothes all over the closet floor from the little Latina's attempt to dress herself: yet, there was still no sign of the little girl._

_Maribel proceeded to check the other rooms on the second floor, but still came up empty. As she was walking down the stairs she went to tell Nicolas the news about the TV, knowing he wouldn't be too upset since he had wanted to replace it with a newer, larger model to 'enhance his football watching experience'. She opened the door to their bedroom and noticed a stick lying haphazardly at the foot of their bed. She was almost to the bathroom door when she saw a little lump in the middle of the big king sized bed. Nicolas was walking out of the bathroom in his navy blue silk pajama pants when he almost ran into Maribel. She quickly pointed to the Santana-sized lump and motioned for him to follow her over quietly._

_"Nico, I can't find Santanita. Have you seen her?"_

_"No, I haven't. I guess we'll just have to take Benji to the park without her."_

_Santana still didn't move. She was listening, but too afraid to come out from her hiding spot._

_"That's too bad, I wanted to get ice cream after playing on the monkey bars. Maybe I'll eat her scoop of superman." Hearing her father's words caused the little Latina to throw the covers off her body, "NO! I want superman."_

_"Well, Santanita, first I need to know what happened to the TV and why this stick is the house and not outside with his stick family." Maribel said holding up the rather large branch._

_Santana's eyes went wide and she remembered why she had been hiding. Suddenly she burst into tears, "Cu-curious… George… Birthday". The light bulb went off in Maribel's head. The Curious George Birthday episode was all about a piñata. Nicolas looked at his wife, confusion etched all over his face, until she picked up the stick and made a 'hitting' motion. He mouthed 'Ohh' and pulled a still sobbing Santana into his lap. Santana had her birthday party, complete with a huge piñata, over the weekend so it was just a little too fresh in her mind._

_"Shhhh, mija. Tell me what happened. Did you try to help George?" Santana looked into her dad's big brown eyes and he almost broke down from the look of guilt she was giving him. Her little eyes were red-rimmed and puffy, her bottom lip was jutted out and trembling, and her cheeks were stained with the saltiness of her tears._

_Santana nodded her head, "I wanna help. He had a pin-otto like me and I hit mine at my party. I'm s-s-sorrrrry!"_

___(end flashback)_

"Oh yes, then piñata incident." Nicolas chuckled. "I don't know how many times I've laughed at that story, but it never gets old."

"Papi, you know you were secretly happy. Mami wouldn't have given in to the new TV if I didn't help you by rendering the other useless."

Puck shook his head, "only you would be able to turn your actions into something saintly."

"Oh really, Noah? You're siding with them? Mami, remember when Noah wanted to become a beautician?"

Puck visibly reddened and turned to Quinn, "It's not true, I never wanted to, I just had a little mishap trying to make Benji look cool." Quinn quirked her eyebrow at him and turned to face Maribel.

"Ben wanted a Mohawk like Noah, so he found Nicolas' hair clippers and asked Noah to help. It was a mess; his little curls were buzzed off down the middle of his head," Maribel moved her hand over Benji's head showing the path the clippers took, "effectively giving him an 'oppo-hawk' reverse-Mohawk. We had to shave the rest of his hair off, but not before getting plenty of pictures."

"How did I get brought up in this? I was sitting here minding my own business." Benji huffed and shifted to lie down on the floor, out of his mother's reach.

Nicolas turned towards Brittany and Quinn who were sitting on the couch opposite of him and Maribel, "don't let them fool you. The three of them got into so much trouble together. That one," he pointed to Ben on the floor, "hated all vegetables, but was especially against peas. He would have to sit at the dinner table until all of his peas were gone. So one time he stuffed them all in his mouth at once and proceeded to make himself throw up."

"From that point forward Ben magically ate all of his vegetables with no problems." Maribel deadpanned.

"Wait, what? Throwing up made him like vegetables?" Quinn said confused.

"No, but he had three helpers." Nicolas smirked and looked at Santana and Noah who were looking at each other in shock. "You two weren't as sneaky as you thought you were, which was evident all throughout high school. … Santana would take Ben's vegetables and eat them herself. Whichever ones she didn't like would then be taken by Noah and _'secretly'_ given to Chuck."

"Who's Chuck? I thought it was only you three." Brittany leaned over to ask Santana.

The Latina, still holding Brittany's hand from earlier, smiled at the blonde, "Chuck is my family's golden retriever. I remember when we got him, he was a seven-week old little furball." Santana brought out her phone and went to a picture album that held pictures of the dog from the time he was a puppy through to the last time she was in Chicago.

Nicolas looked at his daughter and the blonde and squeezed Maribel's hand. "It's been a long time since she's been this happy."

Maribel nodded, "yes, and if Brittany can make Santanita smile like that, she gets my approval."

"Mija, I think your father and I are going to head to Noah's place. It's getting late and your papi and I are older now, so we can't stay up like you youngins."

"Mami, don't be silly, you and papi can sleep in my room. We've all been drinking and there's no need to call a cab when there's so much space here. Besides, Noah, Benji, and I will probably stay up playing video games all night." The two boys nodded their heads.

"Okay," Nicolas and Maribel took turns kissing the other five on their cheeks and foreheads before walking towards Santana's bedroom, "thank you. Sleep well dears."

Benji was the first to break the comfortable silence that had settled over the group, "So, I'm all for this night of video games, but I know that's not what's really going to happen." He smirked and turned towards the couch where Brittany and Santana were sitting, "My sister hates sleeping on a couch almost as much as she hates admitting that she hates sleeping on a couch. And," he then focused on the other end of the couch where Noah was sitting on the floor between Quinn's legs, "blondie wasn't as quiet as she thought she was earlier. So, I'm pretty sure we all know where Puck's sleeping tonight."

Quinn immediately turned a couple shades redder than what she was, and no matter how much she could try to deny it; no amount of alcohol could make her skin turn that red.

"You know," Brittany whispered in Santana's ear, "I was going to ask if you wanted to sleep in my room even before your brother suggested it… It is your home and you shouldn't have to sleep on the couch. Besides, I don't mind sleeping on couches like I now know that you do."

Santana shook her head, "Brittany, this is your home too. I would _never_ make you sleep on a couch." Santana looked down, the implications of her statement not being lost on her or the blonde.

"Well, I would _never_ make you sleep on the couch either, San."

"Okay, as fun as this little vomit-inducing, toothache sweet, sugar fest is, I think I'm going to play video games and chill out." Benji said as he got up to walk towards the mancave. "And, now more than ever, am I thankful that I have a smart sister, because I'm not sure what I would do if the walls of the cave weren't soundproof."

Puck smacked him on the back of his head before pulling him in for a hug, "G'night chump." He turned around and held his hand out for Quinn, "I think we're heading to bed too."

Everyone exchanged their goodnight wishes and headed to their sleeping quarters. "Hey Britt, I didn't grab clothes before my parents went to bed. Can I borrow something to sleep in?"

The blonde opened her dresser drawers and pulled out two tank tops and two pairs of pajama pants, "do you want the blue tank and ducky pants or the red tank and sock monkey pants?"

"Oh my gosh, I love 'Monkeh'! Definitely him!"

Brittany tossed Santana the pajamas and started to unbutton her jeans. She pushed her blue jeans down milky white legs revealing a black and ivory lace trimmed panty complete with a front bow. Santana was torn between averting her eyes and looking at the beautiful blonde in front of her. She knew the best thing would be to look away, but she couldn't help it that her eyes seemed to be effortlessly roaming over the blonde's super long legs as they were slowly uncovered. Santana's eyes slowly made their way back up the dancer's body, where she noticed the slightly ragged rising and falling of Brittany's chest clad in a bra that matched her panties, and when brown locked with blue they were a little less of a clear sky blue and more of a cloudy cobalt.

"You know," Brittany smirked, walked over to Santana, and leaned in to her ear, "if you get to see me in my underwear then I should be able to see you in yours."

Santana visibly shuddered from the breath that brushed the shell of her ear. The warmth that had been in her cheeks just seconds earlier had quickly made the trip to the area between her legs. How could the blonde be so cute one second and a sex vixen the next? Santana's eyes snapped open when she felt fingertips ghosting across her abdomen, "do you need help getting out of your clothes or do you think you can handle it?" Brittany smirked at the speechless Latina. In the time that Santana had her eyes closed the blonde had taken off the remaining articles of clothing and dressed in her pajamas. "B-Britt," Santana breathed out barely above a whisper, "t-turn around so I can change." Brittany smiled and nodded at the Latina while she turned her back towards the shorter girl to pull the duvet off the bed.

"Hey, I just want you to know how awesome today was." Santana stated as she climbed in bed next to Brittany. The blonde and brunette were laying in the dark facing each other with the heads propped up on their elbows. "You are amazing, and you're hard working, and you're dedicated. You have such a big heart that's overflowing with kindness and love towards everyone you meet." Santana reached across and laid her hand on Brittany's cheek, "I've never met anyone as talented and loving and as beautiful as you." The blonde's breath caught in her throat and a few tears escaped her eyes.

Santana leaned in and kissed Brittany's cheeks where the tear tracks could be seen, "Your dad would be proud of the woman you've become."

All composure was lost as Brittany pulled Santana closer and buried her face in the Latina's neck. "Thank y-you..."

* * *

**A/N: The Mark Morris Dance Center (MMDC) is a real dance studio in Brooklyn.**

**Is there anything fun you would like to see happen at the 4th of July barbecue at Mercedes' grams house? How are you liking the flow of the story so far?**


	7. The Word,The Spark,The Storm,The Start

**A/N: Here's the barbecue with Mercedes' Grams. Anything you want to see happen in upcoming chapters? Date ideas? Do you want to see more Puck/Quinn interaction?**

**Thank you to all of the new favorites, follows, PMs, and lurkers. I appreciate the feedback and will try to incorporate more of your ideas.**

**Happy reading!**

* * *

Chapter 7: The Word, The Spark, The Storm, The Start

_(Fourth of July weekend)_

"Alright Santana, it's time to come clean with me. What the hell is going on with you and my bestie?" Quinn and Santana were sitting in a salon getting manicures and pedicures. The blonde had cornered Santana earlier in the week and requested, more like demanded, a girl's day with her roommate to get the scoop. Brittany had picked up an extra class on Friday mornings since her class requests had skyrocketed after the recital the week before. And ever since the recital, Santana and the dancer had been almost inseparable.

Santana rolled her eyes; "I knew you were going to use this as a chance to corner me. You want to know 'juicy details'? It's gonna cost ya." If Quinn wanted the details Santana was going to make her work for it. So she waited in silence. And waited. And waited.

"Dammit Santana. Fine! I'll pay for our manis and pedis if you tell me."

"Fabray, please. You were already paying for this little excursion since you were the one to drag me here in the first place. You're going to have to come up with something better."

Quinn thought over her options for a minute before turning back towards Santana, "I have the perfect thing. I'll tell you something that Brittany has wanted to do ever since she got here. It'll be the perfect date, or double date, and I'll make myself scarce for the entire night following."

"If you add in doing my laundry for a week you've got a deal."

The blonde flipped Santana the bird, "fine. Ugh, you're such a bitch. She wants to go to the Doghouse Saloon, now spill the details!"

Santana nodded and leaned back in her massage chair as the manicurist continued, "Quinn, I really like her. She makes me laugh and smile and I just can't help how happy I am right now. And it's not just when I'm around her—I spaced out while I was bartending because I was thinking about her."

_FLASHBACK to Tuesday_

_"Hey Britt, are you still planning on teaching at the Dance Center after the summer is over?"_

_Brittany and Santana were taking a walk in the park. It wasn't the first time they had gone together, but it was the first time since they had talked about going on a date._

_"I'd like to, but I haven't talked to the director yet. Plus, I still have to figure out if I'll be finishing my studies here at NYU. If I get in then I have my dance fellowship at Pearson to work around, too. I only picked them because it sounds like my last name. Like, what if I had a son: Pierce-son."_

_Santana smiled, Brittany always had a flawless view of the world. It's one of the many things that is endearing about the blonde. They continued to walk around the park, trying to find the perfect place to set down their blankets and picnic basket until they came upon a clearing near a small pond. "There's no doubt in my mind that you'll get in to NYU. So, when you get your acceptance letter, what will you do? Do you want to stay here or go back to San Diego?"_

_Brittany looked down at her hands clasped in her lap. How could she say what she was thinking without feeling like she was going to scare the Latina off? They had only known each other for a month yet she was feeling drawn to Santana in a way that she hadn't experienced in a long time and it was scary to think of where this could be going. Not only that, but Brittany was afraid that she was the only one feeling the intensity of the spark that was undoubtedly there in her mind._

_"Well, I'm not sure. I miss my family and I haven't seen my baby niece since the week she was born. I miss the palm trees, and even though it's warm here now, I know that winter will come and I'll miss the year round warm weather."_

_Santana's head dropped, she was afraid of this. For the past four weeks she had tried her hardest to keep Brittany at arms length. She, of course, had failed to do so because the blonde has a way of drawing people in. But it wasn't for lack of effort. Santana was so lost in her own thoughts that she didn't see Brittany scoot over towards her._

_"I miss all of those things, but I think I would miss being here just as much." Santana looked up into sky blue eyes and her heart melted a little bit more. Whether Brittany was referring to the city, to Quinn and the gang, or to her specifically, Santana was sure the words were going to make her heart beat out of her chest. She glanced down to pink lips and back up to blue eyes. The blood was pumping through her veins at an alarmingly fast pace and she could swear it sound like rushing water._

_"Eeeeee! San, look at the little duckies!"_

_Ohhh, well it really was water that she heard. The blonde was so mesmerized by the family of ducks that she mindlessly climbed to her knees and her eyes followed their movements. Santana reached into the little wooden picnic basket and pulled out the loaf of bread she had brought for this very purpose. "Here Britt, why don't you go feed them and I'll take a few pics for you to send to your mom."_

_"But the sign says not to feed the wildlife." Brittany lowered her head and stuck out her bottom lip._

_Santana bopped her on the nose, "Yeah, but no one is around and they won't say anything to us. Even if they try I'll deal with it."_

_The blonde jumped to her feet, ready to run towards the little black and yellow furballs, "B, don't go over too fast or they'll get scared." The blonde's ears tinted red and she nodded her head in thanks._

_Santana took out her phone and opened the camera app and started taking pictures of the blonde as she tore off pieces of bread and threw them towards the flock. Santana looked down at some of the pictures to make sure they were saving and were in focus. She looked back up, ready to aim the camera towards the pond when she was met with a little yellow head. Santana quickly started snapping pictures of Brittany holding the duckling, kissing its head, and slowly lowering it back down to the grass so it could waddle back over to its mother._

_"How did you know I'd want to feed the ducks?" Brittany inquired when she sat back down._

_"Well, the first night in Montauk you asked Puck to play the song about the quacking ducks. You have ducky pajama pants, a stuffed animal duck, duck-shaped non-slip stickers in your bathtub, and one of your favorite shirts to wear says 'What the Duck'." Santana mumbled the last bit, feeling like she might be coming off as a creeper._

_Brittany tucked a lose strand of hair behind the Latina's ear, "you noticed all of that about me?"_

_"Yeah, that and so much more. You're amazing, Britt. I hope you stay in New York so we have more time to learn about each other."_

___(end flashback)_

"So, that's the reason she was so happy Tuesday night? I kept trying to figure it out, but she'd just shrug and say 'It was a really good day'. You two are adorable together; I don't understand what the hesitation is."

Santana and Quinn were waiting in line at 'Bean Me Up, Scotty', the coffee shop next door to the salon. "I'll tell you what I told Puck, I can't do long distance. I don't want to have to plan trips to see my girlfriend for a weekend after not seeing her for months. I don't want to have to Skype her just to share my day with her. I don't want to be on a three-hour time difference. I want to be spontaneous. I want to surprise her at school or after a long day at work. And as much as I like Britt, I can't take that next step until I know whether or not she will be staying in New York or moving back to San Diego."

**Quinn, I got my letter from NYU in the mail! -B**

**When will you be home? - B**

**What did it say? I'm grabbing coffee with San, and then we're heading back that way. -Q**

**I'm waiting for you to get home. I'm nervous. -B**

**ok, B, I'll be home soon. -Q**

"I completely understand that, believe me. Remember when I was dating that guy from Boston? That distance wasn't anywhere near what it would be from California to New York, but I couldn't handle it. I honestly don't think you'll have to worry about it though. Which means we have something more to talk about." Quinn slid into a chair at the front of the coffee shop.

The interior was decorated like a Star Trek ship, not really the first choice of the girls, but they were both in dire need of caffeine. "So, if Brittany does decide to stay, what are we going to do about the living situation? Does she need to get her own place or are you okay with her still living with us? If she stays with us, will that have an effect on you guys dating… You know, I'm pretty sure I've heard a joke about that."

"Q, you are ridiculous. 'What does a lesbian bring on a second date? A U-haul.' At least know the stereotype you're referencing." Santana took a sip of her large skinny caramel macchiato. "Oh wow, I don't like the digs, but their coffee is out of this world."

"Worst. Joke. Ever."

"Fuck you Fabray. Back to your incessant round of questioning. Yes she can stay with us; I wouldn't make her move out. Besides it's not like we don't have enough space. And no matter what happens between us, if anything does happen, we're both adults and can behave like such."

Quinn nodded, "I know, and I trust you both, I just wanted to make sure you thought this through."

* * *

Quinn dropped Santana off at Slay. She was working the mid-shift then her and Puck were heading to Montauk to spend the night at the Lopez's.

"B, I'm home! Where are you?" Quinn walked through the doorway and slipped off her wedges and hung her purse on the rack.

A noise, sounding kind of like a herd of elephants running down the stairs, caused Quinn to brace herself for impact.

"I got in! I GOT IN! I'M GOING TO **NYU**!" Brittany picked the shorter blonde up and spun her around in the air. "I can't believe it, I'm going to be an official New Yorker!"

"Yes! I get to have my bestie living with me and causing all sorts of spontaneous fun! Shenanigans for sure!" Brittany's excitement transferred to Quinn and she began jumping up and down, too.

"Where's San? I can't wait to tell her the good news."

"She's working then heading to Montauk for the night with Puck. We can ride over with them if you want, I kinda don't want to make that drive tomorrow anyway."

"Will she be mad? I don't want to intrude on her time with her family." Brittany bit her lip, a little less enthusiastic at the prospect of upsetting Santana.

Quinn looked over at her best friend. She could see the desire to be close to the Latina fighting with the cautiousness of not wanting to overstep her bounds. "Hey, look at me, I have a feeling she could never be mad at you. Besides, Puck already texted and said he wanted us to go. Apparently it's been crazy at the bar tonight."

Brittany thought about it for a second, "Ok, I'll go pack. But promise you won't tell anyone about NYU, I want San to hear it from me first."

"Okay, B, I promise. Now go get your stuff packed. They should be here in a couple of hours."

Brittany was bringing her bag down the stairs when she heard a loud clanging coming from the kitchen. "Hey B, can you help me finish this when you're done? I'll help you make your cookies…"

Brittany chuckled, and tried to imagine what the kitchen was going to look like when she walked in. While Quinn was a great baker, she made horrible messes. And if Brittany was being honest, the shorter blonde was more suited for making pies and cakes and cupcakes. There's only so many ways to decorate a cookie to look "elegant" in the way Quinn liked.

"Quinn, I thought you were making a pie? What's this?"

"I decided to make banana pudding, but I can't get the chessman cookies to fit properly." Quinn threw the box down on the countertop.

"Okay, how about you take a little break and I'll finish up in here? It won't take me long to make the no-bake cookies."

"Um, you can't. Puck just texted me to let me know they're about to pull up to the building. That's why I'm so frustrated, I just need it to be done and now you don't have time to do your stuff."

"It's going to be fine, Q, just breathe." Brittany walked up to Quinn and squeezed her shoulders. "I'll bring the ingredients with us and ask Maribel to borrow her kitchen to make them. I'm sure she won't mind, but if she does I don't have to make them. There's no need to be a mad hatter over this." The shorter blonde still wasn't budging and before she knew it Brittany had picked her up and threw her over her shoulder. She walked over to the couch and threw Quinn down and attacked her sides with her fingers.

"B-b-britt, stoooppppp! I c-can't breathe. I'm gonna p-pee!"

"If you can talk, you can breathe, I learned that in First-Aid training."

"Puck, come get your girl's shit to take to the car." Santana yelled when she walked in to the apartment, oblivious to the tickle war that was going on not thirty seconds prior.

"Whoa, what's going on in here?" Puck waggled his eyebrows. "It looks like girl wrestling and I'm a little upset I wasn't invited."

"Puckerman, stop being a perv." Santana scoffed and headed to her room to grab a couple items she had accidentally left behind.

"Hey babe," Puck kissed Quinn on the cheek then turned towards Brittany, "hey B. I hope you girls are ready for the fun weekend! First things first- San is in a horrible mood. She had to kick a guy out of the bar tonight for getting handsy with her. He tried to grab her again and started a fight with the bouncer."

Brittany visibly tensed, "what? Is she okay?" Before Puck could answer she was already up the stairs.

"Why would you say that to her? Ugh, men." Quinn rolled her eyes and allowed Puck to pull her up from the couch. "Let's get Britt's and my bags into the car. Hopefully they'll be down in a few minutes." He nodded and grabbed the bags while Quinn grabbed the banana pudding pan and packed up the bag of ingredients for the no-bake cookies.

"Hey San, do you need help with anything?" Brittany walked into the Latina's room and looked around, but didn't spot her anywhere.

"Estoy tratando de calmarlo, pero él era un imbécil. Sé que mamá. Somos en nuestro camino. Brittany y Quinn están llegando con nosotros esta noche. Te quiero." Santana jumped and clutched the phone to her chest, "Holy hell, Britt. You scared the shit out of me."

Brittany looked sheepishly at the ground, "I'm sorry, I wanted to check on you. Puck told us what happened tonight."

Santana nodded and walked over to the blonde, "Thank you for checking on me. I'm fine, just a little agitated…" The blonde locked eyes with Santana as she smiled, "and now that I'm out of there and here with you I feel a lot better." Brittany smiled and pulled Santana in for a hug.

Brittany breathed in an unfamiliar scent mixed with the natural smell of Santana, "Did you switch shampoos?"

"Ha ha, no. I told Puck you would notice." Brittany quirked her eyebrow and waited for the Latina to continue, "I showered at his place after my shift and that's when I noticed I had left my toiletries bag here."

Brittany nodded and grabbed Santana's hands in her own. She looked down at the shorter girl standing in front of her, dressed in black yoga pants and a long loose teal shirt with black Nike cross trainers. Santana oozes sexiness when she's in her tight dresses, mini skirts, heels, and plunging necklines. But Brittany is pretty sure she finds this look to be even sexier. Who's she kidding, Santana could be dressed in a potato sack and she would still find her the most beautiful girl in the world. Brittany's eyes landed on plump lips and she suddenly felt her desire to be closer to the Latina grow.

They were standing there, faces only a couple inches apart, locking eyes with one another. Brittany's tongue poked out from in between her pink lips and mocha eyes followed the movement intently. Brittany let go of one of Santana's hands and placed her own hand on the Latina's lower back. She heard Santana's breath hitch as she had her own quick intake of air. The two stood there facing one another getting lost in each other's eyes, with their hearts beating rapidly, and their fingers on one hand intertwined. Brittany leaned forward, bending slightly at the waist, and pulled the Latina closer effectively eliminating all space between their bodies and only leaving a couple centimeters in between their lips. Santana's lips were longing to be on the blonde's and her entire body was buzzing in anticipation.

"Hey girls… whoa." Quinn walked in and immediately walked back out.

"Puck, do not go in there. Go to the car. I'm right behind you." Puck looked confused until he saw Santana walking out of her bedroom with her eyes narrowed.

"Lucy Quinn, you get your ass back here right now." Santana demanded while rushing down the stairs. Quinn's eyes went wide and she hid behind Puck. "Noah, move out of my way. You can't save your girlfriend this time."

Quinn gripped Puck's waist tighter and prayed for an escape. From what her and Brittany had talked about she knew that she possibly just ruined their first kiss and she did not want to feel the wrath of the sexually frustrated Latina.

Brittany walked down the stairs and stood next to the Latina. She placed her hand on the small of her back and leaned down to whisper in her ear, "It's ok, I'm sure there'll be plenty more time for us to do that…. And maybe more if you play your cards right."

Santana visibly relaxed at the touch, then reddened at the thoughts that began playing through her mind. Brittany could see the figurative wheels turning and linked pinkies with the brunette next to her. She smiled and kissed the corner of the shorter girl's mouth, "C'mon guys! I'm excited about this weekend."

The four friends filed out of the condo and walked to the car. Santana walked up to Quinn and leaned in to whisper, "Payback is a bitch. You better lock your doors."

* * *

"Oh my god, 'Cedes, your grams is still just as hilarious as she was in high school!" Mike laughed while sipping on a beer.

Mercedes grandmother, Joanne, was currently telling Maribel and Nicolas stories about Mercedes. "Puck and Santana, I wouldn't be laughing seeing as Mr. and Mrs. Lopez are pulling out their phones and passing them around."

Santana looked at Puck and they both groaned their displeasure. It was early afternoon at the Jones' residence, and the place was slowly starting to fill up. Mercedes, Rachel, Blaine, Kurt, Mike, Tina, Quinn, Puck, Brittany, and Santana were all sitting around the large picnic table in the backyard. Mercedes' uncle Terrell, who likes to call himself T-Bone, was currently ranting and cussing at another one of the uncles about the appropriate way to man a barbecue grill; something about propane versus charcoal. To be honest, they had been arguing all day about EVERYTHING, which was hilarious as long as you stayed far away.

"Hey, do you want another?" Brittany pointed to the empty beer bottle in Santana's hand.

"Yes, please." Brittany took the empty bottle and headed towards the cooler.

Santana heard her message tone go off and pulled out her phone.

**_You're lookin a lil tired, didn't get much sleep? –Q_**

Santana looked across the table at Quinn who was sporting her version of a cocky smirk.

**_You have no room to talk. I heard your little squeals last night. You should learn to be quieter. –S_**

Santana looked up in time to catch Quinn blushing profusely and typing at a furious pace.

**_You did NOT! We didn't do anything. –Q_**

**_I know you did something, Puck has been wearing his 'I got laid' face all damn day. You're right, I didn't hear anything, but the look on your face was priceless. –S _**

**_Yeah? Well, I'm not the one who has a huge hickey on my neck. Ps- your concealer doesn't work._**

Now it was Santana's turn to blush. Her hand immediately went to her neck as images of the night before flooded her mind.

_FLASHBACK_

_"Hey, San, can I come in?" Brittany knocked on Santana's room door._

_"Yeah, B, it's not locked." Santana had taken her shower and was lying in bed reading the pre-print copy of the August edition of 'The Outsiders' that features the interview that her and Quinn had done of Timeflies. She looked at the blonde as she closed the bedroom door and walked towards the bed. She was wearing a pair of short red and black shorts and a black tank top. Her hair was still slightly damp and a few strands that had fallen out of the loose French braid stuck were stuck to her forehead._

_"I didn't know you wear glasses. Why haven't I ever seen you in them?" Brittany said as she climbed on the end of the bed and sat cross-legged. Santana brought her hand up to take them off, but Brittany stopped her, "No, you should leave them on. Super sexy."_

_Santana readjusted the glasses and looked into the bright blue eyes staring back at her, "I only wear them when I'm reading. I don't need them for day-to-day stuff." Brittany nodded and started to play with her hands._

_"San, I'm not really tired yet, do you want to watch a movie or something? You can pick this time since I picked last time."_

_"Sure, I'll grab a movie from downstairs." Santana threw the covers off of her legs and climbed out of bed. Brittany's mouth immediately went dry. There, swaying her hips a little as she walked out of the room, Santana was dressed in a low cut white tankini and super short red shorts with the word 'CHEER' written across the backside. The ache between her legs that had slowly dissipated over the course of the evening was making its presence known again._

_She was still lost in thoughts of the sexy Latina when Santana returned with her hands full. "Here, B, I brought us some snacks." Santana handed over a bottle of Dr. Pepper and a box of DOTS. She then set down her own box of Swedish Fish and an iced tea. _

_Brittany opened her box and looked at the TV screen to see which movie Santana had chosen. "Tangled?"_

_"Yeah, I know you haven't seen it and it's a funny movie. It was either this or some suspense/drama. All of the other movies are in the binder in Puck's room and I don't want to go in there."_

_Brittany nodded, "It's fine San. I do want to see it, I just figured you wouldn't want to see it again." Santana shrugged and pressed play._

_Santana and Brittany had been laying on the bed, with a foot between them so they wouldn't touch, for the first half of the movie when Santana felt Brittany's eyes focused on her. "Hey, you're going to miss the a good part coming up if you don't pay attention." Santana said, never taking her eyes off of the TV screen._

_Brittany blushed, thankful the room was dark except for the light coming from the TV screen, and turned her attention back towards the screen._

_About ten minutes later Brittany cleared her throat, "San, you're missing good parts of the movie."_

_Santana, who had been looking at the blonde for a couple of minutes, felt her cheeks heat up at being caught. "Um, it's ok, I've seen it." Then gaining a little confidence she husked out, "besides, my view is better than anything I could see on that screen."_

_Brittany immediately shuddered at the sexy tone Santana's voice had taken on. Her hands gripped the box of DOTS tighter in her hand and she willed herself to stay in her position and not jump on top of the sexy girl sitting beside her. But she wasn't the only one fighting the urge, because before she knew it Santana leaned over and kissed her cheek. Brittany's cheeks turned a crimson red and she melted into the warmth from the Latina's lips. Santana's hand found it's way to the blonde's cheek and she tucked a lose strand of hair behind the other girl's ear. They were so close, yet so far, and the only thing on Santana's mind was wanting to close the distance between their mouths and their hearts. Not knowing whether Brittany would be leaving to go back home to San Diego was still weighing heavy on her mind, but in that moment nothing else mattered. She was drowning in eyes as blue as the ocean, falling fast and deep, and she didn't want to be rescued._

_Brittany saw the Latina's gaze land on her lips and before she knew what was happening, her lips were barely resting against Santana's plump ones. Butterflies. Santana had felt many lips against hers before, but this kiss was something on an entirely different plane. The butterflies that always seemed to make themselves known when Brittany was around seemed to have exponentially multiplied the instant their lips connected. It was as if the tiny flapping wings were brushing her insides, leaving her with a tingling feeling all over her body. Santana's hands immediately guided Brittany's body closer to her and their lips began moving against one another like it wasn't their first time. Brittany, testing the waters, slowly swiped her tongue across Santana's bottom lip. The thing that she wanted more than anything was finally happening and she could barely contain her eagerness. Santana parted her lips slightly, allowing their tongues to finally meet, and both let out a hungry, lustful, moan at the contact. Their tongues dueled, both trying to express their longing, until they had to pull away._

_(end flashback)_

Santana looked back up when she heard someone clearing their throat and noticed all eyes at the table were on her.

"Well, whatever you were thinking about must've been hot as hell seeing as you're redder than Kurt trying to get a sun tan." Mercedes said as she took a sip her drink.

Brittany chuckled and squeezed Santana's hand, a move not missed by any of the friends and family who had joined them around the table. Santana ducked her chin to her chest and took a swig of her beer.

_FLASHBACK_

_"San, wait a second, I have something I need to tell you." Santana's hands immediately stopped what they were doing. The movie's menu screen was playing the same annoying thirty-second loop for what felt like the hundredth time. Brittany, still sitting straddled on the Latina's lap, looked down into hooded near-black colored eyes. Santana released the breath she was holding and tried to calm her erratic heartbeat. The blonde had climbed onto her lap not even five seconds the credits had started rolling, and things had slowly progressed from there._

_Santana looked up into dark blue eyes, and knew that whatever it was that Brittany needed to tell her was important if it could halt the hot and heavy make out session that had been going on. "Y-yeah Britt?" Santana croaked out, her voice hoarse from not being used. _

_"Um," Brittany shifted slightly back so that she was sitting upright, "I got into NYU. I just received my letter today."_

_Santana beamed up at Brittany, "I knew you would! You're a genius Britt-Britt!" The Latina was really happy for the blonde, but then the doubt started to creep in, "Wait, you said you got in, but are you planning on transferring or are you going back to San Diego?"_

_Brittany looked in Santana's eyes and immediately felt her heart swell. The passion was still lurking there, but it was overwhelmingly replaced by genuine concern and fear. "I would love to stay here in New York. I need to go home to get the rest of my stuff and look for my own place out here, bu-" Brittany was abruptly cut off by Santana's lips crashing into her own. Santana quickly flipped Brittany over and straddled her tan legs over long pale ones. The blonde couldn't help the moan that bubbled up out of her throat at the bold move._

_Santana pulled back once breathing became necessary, "don't be silly, you can stay with me and Q at the condo. Things have been great with you there all summer so far; there's no need to pay more to live in some shit hole when you'll probably be over all the time anyway." Brittany's hands immediately brought the Latina's body back down to lie on top of her own. One hand was tangled in a mess of loose brown waves and the other was playing with the hem at the bottom of the white tankini._

_(end flashback)_

"Dammit T-Bone, I already told you once- this is my house. If you don't like it you can get the hell out." Joanne pointed a spatula at the older man standing by the grill. "Food's ready come on y'all. Get it before it's gone."

Mercedes rolled her eyes, "there's enough food here to feed an army."

Brittany was currently on the phone with her mom, so Santana decided to make a plate for her along while making her own. There was a huge spread of food: a large tossed greens salad, potato salad (two different types that caused a fight between the uncles earlier), deviled eggs (the cause of another fight between the uncles), macaroni and cheese, baked beans, fried fish, ribs, chicken, hot dogs, hamburgers, Rachel's tofurkey burgers, Quinn's banana pudding, German chocolate cake, Maribel's caramel flan, Brittany's chocolate no bake cookies, strawberry topped cheesecake, and an assortment of chips. San split the items between the two plates and grabbed plasticware and napkins.

"Thanks San, you didn't have to get my food for me."

"Britt, I wanted you to finish your conversation with your mom uninterrupted. Besides, there's so much food, I figured it would be easiest to share instead of piling everything onto one plate." Santana sat the food down and walked back towards the drink table before returning with two glasses of wine.

"Holy crap! Who are you and what have you done with my sister?" Benji asked, earning him a glare from the Latina.

Puck coughed out, "*cough* _whipped_ *cough*"

"Benjamin, leave your sister alone. Maybe if you found a girl as nice as Brittany you would learn a few things about manners, too." Nicolas said from the other end of the table.

Puck snickered from his seat and Quinn turned to him, "Babe, would you get me a refill?" He nodded and jumped up to go get his girlfriend a drink. The entire table laughed out loud at the irony.

"Rachel, I thought you were bringing a date with you." Brittany inquired.

Rachel shook her head, "I was, but you wouldn't believe what happened:" She turned towards the rest of the group, "I was on a blind date with this lawyer, sitting at the bar, talking about things, life, etc. So he asks what I do and I tell him about my desire to perform on Broadway and that I'm finishing up classes at NYU, when he tells me his dream job was to be a singer. My reaction was, 'Oh. Okay. That's great.' I thought it ended there. But for the next ten minutes, he sang songs to me while we were sitting at the bar. I was looking around in complete embarrassment, hoping others couldn't hear. He just went on and on and thought he was really good: Which he wasn't. I had to change the subject to get him to stop singing!" Everyone laughed and Tina added, "It's funny when Rachel wants someone else to shut up and stop singing."

"My grams over here," Mercedes rolls her eyes and points in the direction of the elder Jones, "decided to make a dating profile for me without my knowledge. At first I was mad, but then I thought 'what the hell. What's the worst that could happen?' Apparently the universe wanted me to know. I went on a date with a guy that had messaged me. His photo on the site was ten years old—I almost bolted when I saw him but decided to tough it out. He suggested an afternoon at the American Museum of Natural History, and then had the gall to balk at the price. Afterward he told me I was buying lunch. Tacky!"

Mike joined in, "A couple years ago I got bamboozled into going on a pseudo blind date with a friend's cousin who, unbeknownst to me, was 35 years old and still living with her parents on Long Island. In addition to her heckling the waitress, when I told her I didn't cook, she said, 'Well, you'll have to learn if this is gonna work.' Luckily I caught the eye of a super-cute girl at another table and left a note on her lap: 'I am on the worst date ever—maybe you and I will have a better one.'"

"Really? What happened after that?" Brittany asked.

Mike grabbed Tina's right hand, and she lifted her left hand high into the air for everyone to see. "She said yes!"

The group broke out into cheers and rounds of congratulations. Champagne was popped and the girls, minus Santana plus Kurt, began asking questions about how it happened. After a while the conversation returned to a normal pace and everyone was enjoying a dessert.

"I have a date next weekend." Everyone's conversations stopped and turned to look expectantly at Mercedes. "So, hopefully it'll be more like Mike's and Tina's happy ending, and less like the horror stories we were telling earlier."

"You're not gonna to eat on the date, are you?" Joanne asked her granddaughter.

"What? Why?"

"Have you ever been around yourself eating?" Grams pointed at 'Cedes, who had just take another bite of German chocolate cake. "You know what it looks like when you give a dog peanut butter? Or when a cow chews cud?"

Mercedes put her fork down and crossed her arms, "Grams, why do you always have to pick on me?"

"Oh, sweetpea. I'm not picking on you, I'm just telling the truth to ya. I'd do the same to Elton John and eyebrows over there." She pointed to Kurt and Blaine then turned toward the rest of the table. "Ellen, Portia, Eva Peron, Barbie, Bad Boy Ken, and Asian 1 & 2 are fair game as well. It's my house, I will speak my mind if I damn well please."

The group, rendered speechless, sipped on their drinks and watched the exchange with rapt attention. T-Bone, attempting to relieve some of the tension, tried to change the subject "don't mind her, she just needs to get laid. Even in her old age she's grouchy when she's going through a dry spell."

Mercedes groaned and smacked her forehead, "If you thought it wouldn't get worse than the name calling, you're in for a treat. These two siblings bicker all the time. And if Grams gets uncomfortable she'll try to escape by pretending to be asleep."

"Oh my, that's genius. I need to do that." Maribel chimed in from where she had been listening on the other side of the table.

"Mami, please. You act like you're not the one making everyone else uncomfortable." Santana rolled her eyes and Benji nodded.

"Ya know what Terrell, you ain't got no room to talk. When was the last time you got some ass?" Joanne yelled across the table.

"Eh, look at me. What do you think? I'm a fine hunk of man candy, okay? I'm a modern day muthafuckin James Brown. Can't touch this!"

"Oh gawd, it's begun. I apologize in advance for anything that comes out of their mouths." Rachel raised her hand, but Mercedes shook her head, "I know Rachel. 'Can't Touch This' was MC Hammer, not James Brown. I learned long ago to never correct his musical mistakes."

Joanne and T-Bone went back and forth cussing each other out while covering the food that was still sitting out on the table. "Damn, Jo. I get it. Alright already. Let's ask the youngins if they agree with me or you."

The two siblings rejoined the group and filled them in on the conversation. "See, I like dirty talk, but only when the other person doesn't talk back. Like, if I say something clever like 'You gonna learn today' and she responds with 'T-Bone, what am I gonna learn?' I'm like 'shit, um, I don't know. Let me think about it.' It ruins the mood. I say something nice and dirty and clever, and then she gotta go and fuck it up by opening her mouth, too. Too much damn pressure."

Santana looked on, slightly horrified at the conversation going on between the two salt-n-pepper haired adults. Sure, they looked young for their age, but they were both pushing 70 years old and had some of the dirtiest minds that she had ever been around.

"Forget dirty talk," Joanne started, "all of you youngins trying out these new sexual positions makes my body ache just thinking about it."

"OKAY! I think I'm going to go grab a drink." Kurt got up and pulled Blaine and Rachel along with him to the other side of the yard. Mercedes wanted to escape, with the rest of her friends, but there was no way she could leave the unsuspecting Lopez parents with her Grams. So, she did the next best thing; she grabbed a hold of Santana so she couldn't escape, which in turn caused the Latina to grab on to Brittany and plead with her eyes not to leave her alone.

"You're right Joanne, first there was just plain old missionary: nothing special, but gets the job done." Maribel chimed in. Santana's jaw dropped. She was not hearing this. This wasn't happening. But it was.

"Maribel, you know you right. You didn't have to worry about hurting your back or pulling a muscle. Then some idiot decided to add 'doggy-style'. It's fun, but hard on your knees. Which means a man probably invented it." Joanne looked at Santana, who was giving Puck a 'what the fuck is going on' look, and smirked. They were only getting started.

"Um, I think Benji and I are going to go make sure the fire is started." Nicolas said to the group. Puck made a move to get up, but Quinn, who didn't want to leave Brittany, pulled him back down into his seat. He tried pouting and giving the best puppy eyes he could to no avail.

Joanne continued, "But those I can handle. What's this new shit? Girl on top—do I look like a fuckin cowgirl? I've been working all day and when I get home, ready to sit back and relax, you want me to work some more?"

"Right?! And I just saw this one where the girl sits cross-legged on the edge of the table and the guy is standing. No thank you." Puck turned to look at Santana, who looked like she was on the verge of hyperventilating from the talk her mother and 'Cedes grandmother were having. Brittany was soothingly rubbing circles on her back, while trying to contain her laughter. She thought it was funny and refreshing that people who were older still found sex that interesting. She had no doubt that she would still be a highly sexual woman when she was their age.

"I saw this one in a magazine where the girl was doing a handstand and the splits at the same time—Hell to the no!"

"Grams! You're the one who keeps stealing my Cosmos?" Mercedes stuttered out before realizing she admitted to buying the magazines and reading those articles. Joanne shrugged her shoulders and waved the girl off, "Maybe I do. Maybe I don't. Sue me. Anyway, There was another about standing up. Why the hell would I do that? I can barely stand on my own, let alone try to keep my balance, just so you can try to fulfill some lifelong desire to be an acrobat. I don't think so."

Brittany squeezed San's hand and rubbed her thumb soothingly across the back of it. She leaned down and kissed her cheek before moving back towards her ear, "I don't mind letting you fulfill your lifelong desire to be an acrobat… you know, if that's one of your desires." Santana's mouth went dry and her eyes snapped towards Brittany's. The blonde was leaning over with a coy smile, eyes a shade darker than normal. Santana gulped at the obvious look of arousal trained on her before she was brought back into the conversation unwillingly.

"Then there's hair pulling. Maribel, did you know kids nowadays enjoy having their hair pulled during sex?"

Maribel immediately looked over at her daughter, who was oblivious to the conversation. "Mija, pull my hair."

Santana cleared her throat, "wait, what?"

"Pull my hair, I want to know what it feels like."

Santana scoffed and crossed her arms, "hell no, mami!"

Brittany shrugged her shoulders and walked over to Maribel, "I'll do it..." She took a little bit of Maribel's hair and tugged on it firmly, but gently.

"Hey Nicolas, get over here. Did you know hair pulling was a thing?"

Santana watched the interaction and felt slightly sick to her stomach. Seeing the girl she liked pull her mom's hair was disturbing, but imagining that Brittany was pulling her hair was turning her on and causing her heart to be a little faster. Brittany had been eyeing the Latina the entire time, and saw the way she licked her lips at the action. "Hey San," Brittany ran her fingertips across the nape of Santana's neck as she whispered, "have you ever had your hair pulled?" Santana nodded, not quite trusting her voice. Brittany smirked at the Latina's speechlessness, "Mhmmm, me too. I wonder how your hair would feel between my fingertips." She then took a tiny section of hair at the base of Santana's neck and tugged on it lightly.

"Oh god" Santana unintentionally moaned out loud. Brittany immediately pinched her thighs shut, the teasing taking its toll on her as well, a move that didn't go unnoticed by Santana.

"Hey, Britt, will you come with me for a sec." She stood up and pulled Brittany with her. "You know, girls and bathroom breaks. We always have to travel in groups."

Mercedes and Quinn smirked at one another, " Hey San, that's a good idea. I have to go to the bathroom too. Don't you Mercedes?" The youngest Jones nodded, "yeah, so why don't Quinn and I join you two. You know- girls in groups and all that jazz."

Santana shot Quinn and Mercedes her best HBIC glare and shook her head at her friends. Brittany took the lead and pulled the Latina towards the house. They were almost to the house when Mercedes called out, "Satan, you better not defile my bathroom." Brittany laughed and Santana flipped her off.

* * *

**Translation: "I'm trying to calm down but he was an asshole. I know mom. We're on our way. Brittany and Quinn are coming with us tonight. Love you."**


	8. A Long Time Coming (pt 1)

A/N: I had to split this chapter into two parts- it was getting incredibly long. So, keep a watch out for the second part later in the week. Thank you for all of the reviews, PMs, follows, and favorites. This chapter and the next should please those of you asking when they would finally have sexy times.

* * *

Chapter 8: A Long Time Coming pt 1

_Let me find you in my sheets_

_Exhausted from the love we share _

_Heart swelled from the music beats_

_Underneath this midnight air_

_I am yours, proudly so_

_I am yours, until you go_

* * *

"Quinn, why the hell are we up so early?" Santana had just rolled out of bed, hair still messy and eyes still droopy from sleep. "You decided to keep me out late last night and expect me to be up now? Ugh, I hate you."

Quinn rolled her eyes. She expected to get some sort of snarky attitude from the Latina this morning, but Santana was pushing her limit. "Santana, shut up. It's 8 a.m. not 5 a.m. like I wanted to wake your ass up. Besides, YOU made me stay out last night. I do recall telling you that we had to get enough sleep tonight since we'd be on the road all day."

Santana waved her hand dismissively as she got out of bed and walked towards her bathroom, "now you're just arguing over semantics. I'm gonna take my shower and hopefully the magic coffee fairy will have delivered a nice piping hot mug to me by the time I get out."

Quinn walked out of the Latina's room and headed downstairs where she noticed a couple of overnight bags already by the door. "Hey B, are those your bags by the door? How long have you been awake?"

"Morning Quinnie! I've been up since six; I'm so excited! I worked out. I showered. I packed. I made sandwiches, cut some fruit, and packed iced tea, water, and soda for the road."

Quinn looked over at her blonde best friend. She was practically bouncing off the walls full of energy from God knows where. "I think you need to go give San some of your energy. She's a grump and this trip won't be nearly as enjoyable if she doesn't get happy soon."

"Yeah, I figured after staying out so late last night she would be grumpy so I asked Puck to stop and get coffee on his way over." She held up the cardboard tray of coffee cups. "Three coffees for you guys, one hot chocolate for me. Plus I made up a big thermos of her coffee and have it packed with the rest of our food and snacks." She handed Quinn two of the coffee cups and pointed towards the entrance to the mancave, "He's in there watching some sports thingy. He mumbled something about needing to find another guy to hang out with since Mike is moving." Quinn nodded and headed off to find her sulking boyfriend.

Brittany grabbed the other cup of coffee and hot chocolate and jogged upstairs to Santana's bedroom, almost causing the hot liquid to splash out of the lid in her excitement. They were all getting ready to go to Ohio to support Kurt's first fashion show in his new position as a fashion expert since he got his promotion. Blaine would also be there- he wanted to make sure Kurt had a show runner that could handle the pressure of dealing with the attitudes that some of the male models were notorious for. Well, Santana would deny that she was going to support Kurt, but the blonde knew better. Then there was a charity fundraiser going on to raise money for a small dance studio Saturday and they had asked Brittany to help bring donations in. There was a silent auction, celebrity car wash, and benefit concert scheduled. Needless to say, they had a busy weekend planned, and this Friday morning drive needed to start as smoothly as possible.

Brittany made her way over to Santana's bed and sat waiting on the Latina to finish her shower while thinking about how the last four weeks had flown by and what had happened since the fourth of July. They had been through so many firsts already: their first kiss, their first date, the first time they held hands in public, their first Cirque du Soleil performance… But not their first _time_ yet. See, even though there was an immense attraction that they both felt, neither of them wanted to rush into anything. Which was sweet, but Brittany was getting tired of taking cold showers. It was already hard enough living under the same roof without jumping each other every chance available.

Santana walked out of her bedroom, wrapped in a canary yellow Egyptian cotton towel, hair still dripping water on her shoulders. Brittany's eyes roamed over the tan toned body of the Latina. _Oh God. Stop looking. Look away. _Britany tried to turn her attention to something else in the room, but her eyes stayed glued to the body she had dreams about every night and daydreamed about when her mind wandered. _But she looks amazing. This is fucking torture. I wonder if she would stop me if I walked over to her and ripped her towel off of her._ She could barely contain her desire and as their eyes finally met across the room, the aching between her legs grew ten fold. Santana eyed the blonde and noticed her fidgety legs and flushed appearance. _Damnit, I just took a shower and now she's sitting on my bed. No, Santana, stay away from her; if you take one step closer you won't be able to stop yourself from taking her on your bed. Remember, this is why you just took a cold shower._ Santana groaned at the wet heat that was making itself known between her legs. She closed her eyes and tried to focus on nonsexual thoughts while taking calming breaths.

"Hey San, I got you a coffee. Actually, Puck bought it, but I asked him to get it for you since we have to be up so early. And, um, I thought you might want it, since we all had a late night." Brittany rambled, trying to break the sexual tension that settled on the room like a thick fog. Santana nodded and held her hand out to take the cup from the Brittany's outstretched hand. Their fingers touched and both girls quickly retracted their hands.

Santana couldn't take it anymore; she set the cup on her dresser and slowly walked towards the blonde. Brittany looked up, and felt her heartbeat speed up, as she eyed Santana's seductive look. Santana lowered herself to sit on top of Brittany. The blonde let out a muffled groan as Santana's lips crashed into hers; their lips slid against one another and Santana slipped her tongue between Brittany's slightly parted ones.

"Is this okay?" Santana pulled back slightly and looked into Brittany's hooded eyes.

Brittany set her cup of hot chocolate on the ground, she had almost let it spill a couple times, and used both of her hands to pull the Latina back down to resume their kisses. Santana turned so she was straddling Brittany's hips and lowered her back slowly to the bed. She put her hands on either side of the blonde's head and settled further into the body below her. Santana slid her left hand down Brittany's torso and slipped her hand under the hem of Brittany's t-shirt.

Brittany's abs involuntarily contracted and released as the Latina's nimble fingers worked their way over to her navel and began circling it. Brittany's tongue began dueling with Santana's trying desperately to stay focused on the intense feelings of pleasure she was experiencing. Santana's legs were starting to get shake; she was naked underneath her towel and had been hovering an inch or so above the blonde ever since she turned to straddle her waist.

Brittany felt the Latina's slight tremble and pulled the shorter girl's lower body down on top of her own midsection. Her breath hitched as the wetness that had been between Santana's legs slowly coated her own stomach where her shirt was slightly raised.

"Uhhh," Santana's hips bucked into the contact and she shuddered from the pleasure she felt.

The dancer tightened her grip on Santana's hips and continued focusing on Santana's neck where she was biting and soothing the area above her pulse point. Brittany slowly licked down Santana's neck to the top of her breasts that were barely visible. She grabbed the top of the towel and looked up at the Latina, silently asking for permission. Santana nodded and Brittany timidly undid the top of the towel, allowing it to drop and collect at the Latina's waist. Brittany bit her lip and took in the sight before her: the delicious abs, noticing a small diamond belly button ring, and slightly protruding hipbones. Her eyes slowly roamed upwards stopping to take note of the freckle on her right breast.

Santana sat back, causing her core to slide against pale abs, and rocked again as she enjoyed the pleasurable sensation. She slowly opened her eyes and noticed the blonde staring unabashedly at her rambunctious twins.

"You can touch them you know."

Brittany's eyes slowly flickered up to be met with nearly black eyes. Santana was looking at her like a hungry lioness and Brittany knew that her own underwear was soaked. Santana grabbed Brittany's hands and brought them up to rest on her breasts. Brittany's hips bucked, and her hands squeezed the supple flesh lightly. Her thumbs grazed lightly over tan nipples causing them to pebble immediately. Santana leaned over to quickly kiss Brittany as she slowly gave in to the pleasure and continued to rock her hips. Brittany leaned forward to wrap her lips around a hardened nipple and swirl her tongue in big and small circles until she switched sides and worked on the other.

"Hey San, we need to get going if we're going to get there on time." Quinn opened the bedroom door and walked in before abruptly stopping.

"Fuck, Quinn, do you not know how to knock?" Santana exclaimed, pulling the towel up to cover her exposed body. Quinn's skin felt like it was on fire from blushing profusely.

"'Tana, do you need me to carry your…" Puck stopped in the doorway with his mouth dropped open. He quickly averted his eyes and shifted uncomfortably. "Um, babe, we should give them some privacy. We need to leave in 15 minutes to get to the hotel with enough time to grab dinner before Kurt's event." Puck closed the door behind him and Quinn as they walked out.

"I think Q has a sixth sense for knowing when to interrupt us…" Brittany pouted.

"Yeah, such a cockblock or twatswat or whatever the hell it's called." She ran her hands down the blonde's arms and interlocked their fingers together before leaning down and kissing her passionately.

"What was that for?" Brittany asked, kissing the other girl softly.

"Just a promise to continue later." Santana winked before standing up, allowing her towel to drop to the floor, and turning to walk away from the blonde.

* * *

Quinn and Puck were sitting in the backseat of Santana's black Audi Q5. The first part of the drive had gone smoothly: Brittany and Santana were engrossed in each other, holding hands over the middle console, singing along to the radio, and stealing glances at one another. Quinn and Puck were sitting in the backseat, Quinn sleeping against Puck's shoulder while he watched a movie. He had brought along his Bourne movies starring Matt Damon. Secretly Puck enjoyed the adrenaline rush he got from the action scenes; he would always do some crazy stunts after watching them. Everything was great, until it wasn't—and all hell broke loose.

"Si no sales de mi camino me costará más! (If you don't get out of my way I'll run you over!)" Santana sounded the car horn, the loud noise effective in doing nothing but waking Quinn who looked around confused for a second. Puck leaned over and kissed her cheek, "I think San might need a break from driving. Want to sit up front with me?" Quinn yawned and nodded, and Puck couldn't wipe away the goofy grin on his face as he took in her adorable 'just woken up' messy hair. Things had been going well for him and Quinn and he was falling more in love with her every day.

He reached over and massaged the back of Quinn's neck to loosen the tight muscles, and she hummed appreciatively, "Thanks, Noah, my neck is kinda sore. Think we can stop to stretch and get snacks?"

"Yeah, sure. But you do realize Mama Lo and Pops left us enough snacks to last for weeks?"

"Well, yeah, but it's all sugary. I need some real food first." Quinn stated and Puck nodded. Maribel and Nicolas had sent them a big box of candy and had even included Quinn and Brittany's favorites. The package was overflowing with Andes mints- Quinn's favorite, Sugar Daddies- Puck's favorite, DOTS- Britt's favorite, and Swedish Fish- San's favorite. They also threw in tootsie rolls, blow pops, and Godiva chocolate bars.

"Benji always throws in a few bars of Godiva bars to tease San. When we were still in high school 'Tana and I bickered over the quality of chocolate. Santana claimed to be an expert and I just wanted to play devil's advocate. I always claimed there was no difference between Hershey's and Godiva, even though there obviously was." Puck chuckled and reached over to grab Quinn's hand as he continued his story. "Well, one day I was craving chocolate after football practice and went into the pantry. The only chocolate there was one of Santana's chocolate bars, so I ate it and planned on going out to buy another one to replace it—unfortunately, the Fates didn't have that in mind. Santana came home and immediately walked into the kitchen. She had a horrible day at school and it was "that time of the month" so chocolate was the only thing on her mind."

_FLASHBACK_

_"Where the HELL is my chocolate?!" Santana moved all of the other candy off of the shelf and still couldn't find her chocolate bar. _

_Puck, who was sitting on the couch in the living room, stood up and stuffed the remaining half of the bar in his mouth. He didn't want to be caught red-handed. Just as he was about to walk up the stairs, Santana grabbed his arm and turned him around._

_"Noah, what are you eating?" She narrowed her eyes at him, not missing the very audible gulp he took._

_"Whoa, San, I'm not eating anything. You should lay off the 'roids, you're gripping my arm a little rough." Noah licked his lips and looked away towards the stairs._

_"Don't fucking lie to me, I can smell the chocolate on your breath." Santana jabbed her finger into his chest. _

_Puck shook his head, "San, I don't know what…" _

_Santana held her hand up to stop him from speaking, "And if that wasn't clue enough, the chocolate that's left on your chin is a sure sign. So, before you finish that sentence I suggest you rethink this lying streak you're on."_

_"Fine, fine. I'm sorry San, I just ate it and I planned on buying you another one."_

_"I thought Hershey's was better than Godiva." Santana raised her perfectly manicured brow at him, waiting for his response._

_"It is better, way better. That chocolate bar was sucky, I was just trying to save you the pain of eating it."_

_"You're such a horrible liar. That's the worst thing you can be— a liar. Well, maybe not the worst. Nazi ranks as the worst thing, but liar is a close second. Nazi one, liar two."_

Quinn and Brittany could barely control their laughter: Santana and Brittany had been caught the tail end of the conversation. "Wait, so what does that have to do with Benji?" Quinn asked, slightly confused.

"Well, he claimed that he figured out the real reason Santana liked those bars so much. So every time there was a bar in the house he would take a sharpie and mark out the 'Go' so that the only legible part was 'diva'. 'Tana hated it, so naturally I joined in and it became our brotherly bonding time. One time for her birthday we bought a few boxes of the chocolate and spent an entire night making the label changes and playing video games."

Suddenly Santana swerved to go around a car that was going 10mph under the speed limit. "Te mueves más lento que mi abuela! Jodido imbécil! (You move slower than my grandmother! Fucking imbecile!)" As they sped past the compact car, the white-haired elderly woman gave the best death glare she could muster.

Just then the traffic slowed down to a crawl. "¿Por qué no puede ser mayor de esta mierda? (Why can't this shit be over?)"

The old lady pulled her car up next to Santana's and honked her horn to get their attention. Santana looked over and her jaw dropped at the lady, who smiled from the driver seat as she held up her middle finger for them all to see.

"Damn 'Tana, that old lady just made you her bitch. She must be from the Heights, too."

"Fuck you Puckerman. You know how much I hate driving in traffic, and now we have to go through a fucking construction zone."

"How about you take the next exit. We'll fill up the tank, stretch our legs, and take a bathroom break. Then I'll take over driving so you don't have to deal with this mess, okay?"

Santana nodded her head, "Thanks, Noah. This shit is starting to give me a headache."

* * *

"Hold on, what do you mean 'you only have one room available tonight'? You've got to be kidding me! This just isn't my damn day!" Santana was fuming. Not only had the drive taken longer than expected due to the construction traffic in Pennsylvania—which meant they had less than three hours to get ready for Kurt and Blaine's fashion show, eat dinner, and drive to the event hall, but now the concierge had informed her that they had accidentally overbooked the rooms and their rooms had been given away earlier in the morning.

Brittany placed her hand on the small of Santana's back and rubbed small circles trying to calm her down. "Okay, San, maybe we should let Puck handle this while you and I call Kurt to fill him in on our little delay."

Puck walked up to the concierge, "Look, man, I apologize for her outburst, but we've been on the road all morning. We have a big gala to go to tonight and we were supposed to grab dinner ahead of time, so she's a little on edge. And now that you tell us that our rooms aren't ready it's only making her upset further."

The young concierge nodded, and kept his eyes trained on the brunette and the blonde. He wasn't really paying attention to what Puck was saying; he was too focused on leering at Santana and Brittany. Quinn chimed in, "And if she catches you staring at them like that you'll be in for more hell than you can handle." She looked at his nametag, "So, Seth, I'd suggest you focus on what he was just saying to you."

Seth's eyes grew wide at being called out and quickly typed into the computer: he wanted nothing more than to get the grumpy girls out of his lobby. "S-so, it looks like the only room available we have for the weekend is the Presidential Suite. It's quite a bit more than the cost of what you paid already so I'll need a credit card."

Quinn shook her head, "If you want to go that route then I'll need to speak with your manager. We have our confirmation of rooms booked and payment received. So, we refuse to pay for your company's oversights."

"And, I'd hurry up with it or she's going to start asking for complimentary booze and food." Puck said while pointing at Santana across the room.

Seth gulped and slid two room keys across the countertop.

* * *

"Hey B, will you zip me up?" Quinn was in Brittany and Santana's room. Yes, they had to share a suite, but that suite was huge! They were on the ninth floor with a beautiful view of downtown Cincinnati. The living room separated the two bedrooms and was decked out with a large screen television, two oversized plush couches, and ceiling to floor windows. Each bedroom had a balcony furnished with lounge chairs and table.

"Yeah sure, I need your help putting the finishing touches on my hair as well."

Quinn was wearing a cream lace petal frock dress that came down between her knees and calves. She had on a black accent belt and high-heeled black wedges. Her hair was down and resting on her shoulders.

"You look great Quinn, I love that dress on you."

Quinn looked over the other blonde's attire and smirked. She had a feeling that Brittany was wearing her outfit to impress the Latina and Quinn knew it would work. "Thanks, Britt, you look fabulous too."

Brittany blushed, "Um, thanks. Do you think San will like it?"

"She'd have to be blind not to." Brittany had on an azure blue tuxedo dress. There were sparkling crystals on the lapel at the sweetheart neckline and it was finished with a zipper closure and padded bust that pushed her breasts up. She paired that with a matching clutch.

"Hey, we have food!" Puck wheeled the room service cart into the dining room area that was just off the living room. Santana had ordered food before they went down to the bar, and they had caught they room service guy before he had a chance to knock on the suite door.

"Oh, my… Damn… B-Britt…" Santana was standing in the doorway to the suite when Brittany walked out of their bedroom. To say that Santana was captivated by the blonde's beauty would be an understatement. She stood there with her mouth hung open, and she didn't care at all that she was staring unabashedly. "Um, we're gonna go eat in the bedroom."

"Wanky." Brittany deadpanned.

"San, I don't think that's a good idea. We all need to eat and you and Puck need to get dressed." Quinn stepped in front of the Latina to interrupt the eye-sex that was going on.

"I know, that's why Britt and I will eat and get dressed together. I don't understand how what you're saying is any different than what I'm saying."

Quinn shook her head and tried to get Puck to help her out, but he held up his hands and mouthed "no way".

Brittany walked over and hugged the Latina, "Q's right, if we go to the bedroom together now there's no hope of making it to Kurt premiere tonight."

"It's okay, Prancy will understand once I explain how hungry I was." Santana licked her lips and Brittany's eyes followed the movement. She wanted to go to the bedroom just as bad as the Latina, but she didn't want to be rushed or interrupted like they were earlier in the day… Earlier in the day when Santana was completely naked, rubbing up against Brittany. The blonde bit her and grabbed the shorter girl's hand. "Uh, Q, San's right. It makes sense for us to eat before getting dressed."

"But, Britt, you're already dressed." Puck chimed in. He was sitting at the table cutting into his steak and baked potato.

Santana and Brittany both turned to glare at him. "Shut the hell up Puckerman."

Quinn rolled her eyes at the two girls in front of her. "Fine, you guys can go ahead and enjoy your meal together. But, Britt, I need you to call Kurt to tell him why we'll be late. I'm sure he'll understand missing out on his first big event because you're hungry."

Brittany groaned, "I hate you so much Q." She turned to Santana, who was looking at Quinn with her best HBIC glare, "Babe, how about we eat later?"

Santana leaned up on her tiptoes and kissed Brittany's cheek, "sure thing, Britt. We can have dessert as long as Quinn and Puck promise not to mess with the sundae toppings in the fridge."

"Um, okay. But, when the hell did you have time to get ice cream?" Quinn quirked her brow, confused.

"Is that what the whipped cream, chocolate syrup, and caramel are for? You're forgetting the nuts and cherry on top." Puck said while shoving another piece of steak into his mouth.

"Oh, I don't need ice cream for my dessert and I sure as hell don't want nuts. I'm going to have a Brittany-sundae." Santana smirked at the shocked looks that Quinn and Puck were sporting. She turned towards Brittany, ran her finger over the top of the blonde's cleavage, and stage whispered, "Britt's bringing the cherry." She sauntered off to the room to shower and change into outfit.

Brittany stared at the door for a few seconds, even after it had closed, trying to decide whether or not Kurt would really be that upset with her. As if he could see the conflict going on in Britt's mind, Puck cleared his throat. "Hey B, 'Tana ordered you over easy eggs, toast, bacon, and a side of fruit."

Brittany did a little jig; she could barely contain her excitement, "Yessssss! I love breakfast for dinner. It used to confuse me, cause sometimes it's sweet and sometimes it's salty. Like, if I have eggs for dinner, what is it? But San told me not to worry about the label and just enjoy it for what it is."

* * *

It was 6:45 in the evening and Kurt was pacing around the side stage like a nervous ball of energy. He was waiting on Quinn, Santana, Brittany, and Puck to arrive. Rachel was already seated; she was visiting her family in Lima so she made the drive over for the evening show. Kurt had a section reserved for his guests so that they could be upfront and the rest of the general seating area was starting to fill up as they neared their 7:30 start time. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a flash of bright blue and turned to come face-to-face with Santana. He looked her over; appreciating her slate grey fit and flare strapless dress, white high-heeled pumps, and matching white clutch. Her hair was pulled back into a loose wavy ponytail. He nodded his approval before turning to the rest of the group. He looked over Brittany and Quinn, giving his approval again, before his eyes took in Puck's appearance. He was wearing black no pleat slacks, with a black leather belt, pewter and white-stripped button down shirt, black vest, skinny black tie, and black chukka boots.

"Wow. You guys clean up nicely. I never would have thought you guys had any fashion sense."

Santana rolled her eyes, "Yeah yeah, you too Porcelain. Now, point me in the direction of the champagne and food."

"No, that's not until after the show is over. I thought you guys were eating before you got here."

"Well, I was trying to," Santana huffed, "but Quinn wouldn't let me. Now I'm gonna starve."

Brittany pulled out a bar of chocolate from her clutch. It was one of San's Go**diva** bars. "Here babe, you're not you when you're hungry." She pecked the Latina on the lips and entwined their fingers, "we're gonna go take our seats." The Latina hadn't stopped smiling at Brittany. The fact that the blonde had thought of what Santana might need ahead of time was making her heart melt. The butterflies were having a heyday in her stomach, and she didn't want them to go away any time soon. "Oh, Q, I'm saving the seat next to Rachel for you. We don't want to tempt the Fates and put San next to her for the whole night."

"Kurt, Sebastian is throwing a bitch fit. He wants to walk out to Michael Jackson. I need you to come backstage and figure something out." Blaine ran his hands over his gel-hardened hair and whispered to his boyfriend.

"Okay guys, I'll see you after the show." Kurt waved to his dad and friends in the VIP section and walked backstage to handle the mess before it got out of hand.

* * *

"How did you guys like the show? Didn't Kurt do a fantastic job?" Blaine gushed over his boyfriend. The show had gone off without a hitch—even after Sebastian threw a hissy fit.

"Um, I've seen enough man meat to last me an entire lifetime."

"San, be nice." Brittany playfully nudged the Latina. "Kurt, you did a great job. You too Blaine."

"Ugh, yeah, what Britt said." Santana rolled her eyes.

"Santana, I know you might not find the work that we do in the business to be very interesting, but what Kurt did here tonight was absolutely spectacular. The only thing that could have made it better would have been some live music. Next time, Kurt, I think you should enlist my help. If we combine our forces and my elite social circle, I believe you will put on a show no one will ever forget. We could do it themed as one of the great Broadway productions, maybe even get the great Barbra to come out herself." Before Rachel could continue her long rant, Puck cut her off.

"Yeah, bro, great job. I think it's cool that you had dudes and chicks out there."

"You only liked it because of the swimsuit section." Quinn playfully smacked Puck on the arm.

"What? 'Tana liked it way more than me. She was practically drooling."

"Puckerman, no way you're putting this off on me. I was adequately appreciating the design of the suits. You know, since I wear them it's okay if I admire the designers handiwork." Santana smirked, but it was short lived when she turned to see Brittany pouting next to her. "B-but, I'm sure it won't even compare to whatever swimsuit Britt will be wearing tomorrow."

"*cough* _whipped_ *cough*" Puck returned the smirk and Santana flipped him off.

"Okay!" Kurt strained exasperatedly, "San, they should be coming around with more champagne and appetizers. I see you've already indulged in some of the champagne, and I know you're still probably hungry,"

"Well, that's the understatement of the century." Santana mumbled.

Kurt raised his eyebrow, but Quinn shook her head to get him to drop it. "As I was saying, I think you should probably limit your alcohol until you have something solid in your stomach so you don't make yourself sick."

"Look, lady lips, I don't need a babysitter. I'll drink however much I damn well please. And if I make a scene, you can blame those two" she pointed at Quinn and Puck, "since they're the ones who wouldn't let me eat earlier."

Brittany leaned over, "How about you come with me to get us some more champagne and if you get hungry we can leave to go eat." Santana nodded and followed Brittany over to the bar.

"I'm thoroughly perplexed, I didn't mean that they had to leave. They can totally eat here." Kurt was confused to say the least.

"Hey honey, I don't think they are actually talking about food. Just look at them…" Blaine pointed to the two girls that had made their way over to the small bar. Santana was sitting on the bar stool and had her hand running up and down the back of Brittany's long uncovered thigh. Brittany had her forehead resting against the Latina's while she was stroking her tan bicep. She leaned down and pecked Santana on the lips, but before she could pull away fully, the Latina grabbed the back of her neck and pulled her back in for a searing kiss.

Kurt cleared his throat, "So, Quinn, you have to stay in the same room as those two? Good luck getting any sleep tonight."

Quinn laughed, "Lucky for us we have a two room suite and our room is on the opposite side of theirs."

Puck shook his head, "Yeah, but after interrupting them this morning and leaving San sexually frustrated earlier, I think we're in for a helluva weekend. We might want to stop and get earplugs."

Quinn, Kurt, Blaine, and Rachel all looked at Puck with a slight terror in their eyes. "Yeah, I know. I wish I was kidding, but living with her in high school scarred me for life."

Just then Santana and Brittany walked back over, holding hands. "Is there gonna be music to dance to?"

"No, Britt, this is just time to mingle after the show. You know, to rub shoulders with important people." Quinn pointed out a few of the designers and models walking around to talk to reporters and photographers.

"Wow, with your long legs it's a crime you weren't up there on stage tonight darlin'. Name's George." The young man, wearing a white button down shirt that was two sizes too small and black pants, held his hand out to shake Brittany's. He slowly licked his lips as he eyed her outfit and didn't hide his appreciation of her chest. She could feel Santana tense beside her and knew she needed to get them out of this situation before Santana cut him down with her vicious words.

"Um, thanks. I think." Brittany cleared her throat to bring his attention back to her face and reluctantly shook his hand. She then discretely wiped her hand off on the fabric of her dress. She tried to turn away and put some distance between them and the creepy guy, but he grabbed her forearm and turned her back to face him. She looked at Quinn and noticed her holding Puck back. If this guy didn't back off he was going to have two hot blooded people on him like white on rice.

"I bet you'd look real nice in one of those little bikinis we saw tonight. I'm a photographer for Vogue, would you be interested in coming back to my studio to try a few on? You could be featured in one of our future month issues."

"Okay, I'm gonna stop you right there Georgie Porgie. Britt here isn't interested in your knock off photographer experience where you try to take advantage of some innocent girl looking to break into this business." Santana started walking towards him with her finger pointed in his face.

Kurt cringed; he knew he needed to stop this before it got out of hand. He strained a laugh and stepped in between the Latina and George. "What she means is that, Brittany isn't interested in your intriguing offer. But I am interested in seeing your Vogue credentials. Seeing as I am in charge of this event, I know for a fact that the only Vogue photographer here is Natasha over there." Kurt pointed to the back of a middle-aged African American woman standing by the stage, surrounded by a group of models.

George's eyes went wide as he attempted to stutter out a response. He tried to turn and make a dash for the door, but Puck was behind him. He hooked his arm around the guy's shoulders and led him towards the security set up. "I think I'm going to give George a tour of the facilities. First stop, security office to meet Dave."

Kurt nodded in appreciation. "Well that got interesting really quickly."


	9. A Long Time Coming (pt 2)

**A/N: Seriously you guys are amazing! The feedback from reviews and PMs makes me smile… a lot. Hopefully this chapter will make you smile as well :) **

**Here's the 2****nd**** part! Enjoy! **

* * *

Chapter 9: A Long Time Coming pt 2

As Santana walked out of the bathroom, Brittany's eyes raked over her barely covered body. Blue eyes trailed up long, tan, toned legs to the brunette's super short white shorts. She could see thin black strings, tied into bows, resting on the Latina's hipbones. Santana wasn't wearing a shirt, so the blonde was allowing her eyes to roam over the flat, yet toned, stomach of the girl in front of her, before landing on the voluptuous breasts that were barely held in by the black halter bikini top. She looked completely edible and Brittany could barely contain her moan as her thoughts turned extremely vivid.

"…itt-Britt" Brittany was so consumed by her daydreaming that she didn't realize Santana was talking. Reluctantly she tore her eyes away from her delicious looking breasts and up to brown eyes. Santana's eyes were twinkling with mischief and she had a smirk plastered on her face, "Britt." The blonde smiled sheepishly as her cheeks and ears tinted to a rosy pink.

"Hmmm?" Brittany hummed sweetly; she didn't trust her voice to work. Santana sighed and bit her lip slightly, feeling every ounce of desire that Brittany was sending her way, and pulled her aviator sunglasses over her eyes. Even though they were now covered, Brittany knew that Santana was ogling her body as well—she had made no attempt to hide that throughout the day. Brittany was wearing a marigold and navy stripped bikini with white shorts as well.

"I thought you might like some help." Santana whispered into her ear.

Just then, Randall walked over to the Latina. "Santana, I see you changed to help out. I believe Harmony could use your help over there." He pointed to the other side of the parking lot.

Santana's fists balled up to her side, and she was ready to knock some sense into the tall blonde boy. She had seen the way he was staring at Brittany from the moment they arrived this morning, and it caused her stomach to clench and her fists to want to get acquainted to his face. Sure, her and Brittany weren't official girlfriends or anything, but they guy just couldn't take a hint and she had no desire to see him flirting with Brittany all day. Besides, she had plans to ask her soon. She just wanted to figure out the perfect way.

Brittany could see the fire behind Santana's eyes. Sure, she knew Randall found her attractive, but she had no desire to entertain him or his ideas. In fact, she would much rather work with the Latina, but since Randall was coordinating the event, she felt they should follow his instructions.

"It's okay San, we'll meet back up for lunch." She leaned down and pecked the shorter girl's lips. Santana smiled into the kiss as she deepened it and Brittany felt Santana's hand slide down and land on her ass. The blonde felt her heartbeat quicken and the heat between her legs gain in intensity. She pulled back, slightly flustered with hooded eyes and caught the Latina smirking at her.

"That should hold you over til lunch…"

"I hate you" Brittany said trying not to let her smile slip through.

The carwash was going fairly well and they had a steady stream of customers coming in. Randall tried to make small talk with Brittany, but kept catching her staring over at Santana's station. At one point he heard her let out a small growl of frustration, and he looked up and saw her fists clenched at her sides. He looked in the same direction that she was and noticed Harmony was caressing Santana's arm. He smirked and decided it was time to make his move. He took his tank top off and stood in his board shorts, "Hey Britt, will you put some screen on my back? I don't want to get burned."

Brittany turned and took in his appearance. He was a couple of inches taller than her; he had shaggy blonde hair, green eyes, and a nice smile. He was obviously in shape, his well-defined chest was proof of that, but he wasn't what she wanted. In fact, he kind of reminded her of a boyfriend she had in high school. The thought made her cringe. "Hey Wade will you help Randall with sunscreen? I need a bathroom break." The older guy with salt-n-pepper hair nodded and came over while Brittany slipped over to Santana's side of the parking lot.

"Seriously Harmony, you need to back away. I'm not available, and you need to respect that." Santana pulled her arm out of Harmony's grip and scowled. All morning she had been narrowly escaping the brunette's advances and she was almost to her breaking point. She hated Randall even more now.

She was lost in her thoughts of what she would do to Randall if she had Superman's powers (yes she was kind of a nerd but that's what happens when you grow up in a house with Benji and Puck) when she felt arms wrap around her from behind. She tensed and immediately went to step out of the embrace.

"Hey, it's me." Brittany kissed the back of Santana's neck. "You want to take a little break with me?"

Santana exhaled and turned in Brittany's arms to face her, "Ugh, yesssss. Please save me from crazy lady." She leaned up to her tiptoes and kissed Brittany before pulling her away towards the refreshment area. They found Puck and Quinn with Kurt and Rachel. "Hey Hobbit and Lady Lips, I didn't know you guys were coming out. No pun intended." Santana smirked as she leaned in to rest her head against Brittany's shoulder.

"Santana, I have no need to come out of the closet. I've never denied my openness to Sapphic exploration. I do have two gay dads you know."

Santana rolled her eyes, "Anyway, Q, how are things going? Why are you in your swimsuit? I didn't think you were helping."

"Oh, I'm not helping out, but Noah decided it was a good idea to sit in my chair while I was taking the donations and when I came back and sat down my whole bottom half was soaked. So, I had to change."

"Well, you're more than welcome to take over for me. That girl Harmony is driving me bat shit crazy. She has no idea how close I am to channeling the heights. She won't stop flirting with me or trying to get close to me."

"Yeah, seems you're not the only one. That guy paired with Britt won't keep his eyes off of her. He's ridiculous. He thought taking off his shirt would help his pathetic attempts to get her attention." Puck flexed his arms; "I was ready to take him out when he asked her to put sunscreen on him."

Santana looked up at Brittany, who was clenching her jaw, "He did what? I'm gonna kick his ass."

"No, it's okay. I asked Wade to help him out and I walked over to get you before he had a chance to try to keep me there." Brittany kissed Santana's forehead, "Wanna go dance with me?" Amy Stroup and Trent Dabbs had just taken the stage to start their set in the concert. The Latina nodded and followed Brittany towards the middle of the crowd where there was a makeshift dance floor.

* * *

"C'mon, we should get back over to the carwash. I see that asshat coming back over here and he doesn't look happy that we left." Santana nodded her head in the direction of Randall.

Brittany linked hands with Santana and they maneuvered their way through the throng of people near the stage. Once they made it back over to the parking lot where the cars were waiting Santana reluctantly pulled away to go back over to help Harmony at their station. Brittany grabbed a hold of her face and pulled her in crashing their lips together. She swiped her tongue over Santana's lower lip, which immediately gained her access to the Latina's mouth. The brunette quickly grabbed Brittany's hips to steady her wobbly legs and Brittany felt, more than heard, Santana's moan as their tongues continued their teasing dance.

When Brittany pulled back Santana followed her to prolong the kiss, but they finally broke away and rested their foreheads together. The Latina could barely contain her look of lust as she took in the hooded blue eyes gazing back at her. She felt a twinge of something in her chest, but she couldn't quite place the feeling.

"Wh-what was that for, B?"

"That should hold you over til dinner…" the Latina smirked at Brittany using her words against her.

"You sure it has nothing to do with Harmony over there?" Santana noticed that the brunette was giving them a dirty look, but she didn't care. The only girl she wanted was standing in front of her.

"Santana, we have a line forming. Can you please go back to your station?" Randall had finally caught up to them and was getting pretty annoyed that he couldn't get time alone with Brittany. Sure, he knew Brittany had feelings for Santana, but he didn't feel there was any harm in trying to make her see that he could give her what the Latina couldn't.

"Actually Robert,"

"It's Randall." The man huffed out.

"As I was saying," Santana rolled her eyes, "I've decided that I'm going to stay over here and help Brittany. See, Harmony and I are both short so it's only fair that we're each paired with someone taller." Santana turned to face the man, "Plus, I'm not stupid or blind—I know you've been flirting with my girl here. So you have two choices: Britt and Me work together and bring in lots of money because let's face it- we're two smokin' hot women in bikinis and short shorts. Or you can go with option 2 where you and I work together- which, let's be real, will just be you working by yourself."

Brittany looked between Santana and Randall; you could practically cut the tension with a knife. Suddenly a car horn sounded and broke them out of their staring match.

"Hey dude, get out of the way and let the ladies wash my car." A young college guy jumped out of his truck and handed Randall a ten-dollar bill.

"Guess we have our answer." Santana smirked and walked away, leaving Randall to stand in his spot and fume.

Brittany and Santana worked together to move through the line of cars at their station. They noticed Harmony and Randall staring at them, but neither girl cared, they were having fun together and no one else could trample on their happiness. Brittany and Santana weren't the most efficient at washing cars, they kept getting caught up in mini water fights, but they were the most requested pair. At one point their line got so long that Randall came over and started charging double for anyone requesting the pair for their car wash. He was furious that he couldn't be near the blonde, but he had to admit they were bringing in a lot of money.

"Hey San, why don't we wash your car once we're finished with this one?" Brittany bent over to pick up a drying towel and turned to look over her shoulder at the Latina when she didn't get a response. Santana was staring at her ass, and biting her lower lip.

"San, earth to San." Brittany turned to face the Latina and stood there with her hands on her hips. Santana's eyes slowly flitted up the slender body in front of her, noting the placement of a few freckles around her belly button. The sudden sound of Brittany clearing her throat made her eyes snap up and connect with cerulean blues that were a shade darker than normal. Even though Santana had her aviators pulled down over her eyes, Brittany knew that the Latina's eyes were shamelessly trailing over her entire body and she felt the all too familiar throb between her legs.

She smirked, before picking up a wet sponge in one hand and bringing it in between herself and the brunette. She squeezed it so that all of the soapy water came out and drenched the Latina's chest. Santana squealed and jumped backwards, the water was freezing cold. Her eyebrows crinkled and she frowned, "Britt-tt. That's s-so cold!"

Brittany chuckled, "You just looked like you were getting a little overheated." The brunette's scowl deepened and she crossed her arms over her chest, trying in vain to cover her nipples that had formed into little peaks at the rush of cold. Brittany's gaze softened a bit, she didn't want Santana to be really mad at her "It's not that bad is it?"

Brittany looked down at the Latina's body and her breath caught in her throat. She didn't see that Santana's scowl had turned into a smirk at the blonde's obvious leering. Brittany had completely tuned out everything and everyone around her; her eyes just remained trained on the Latina and the trail of soapy water sliding down the valley between her breasts. Beads of water were rolling down her toned stomach and slipping below the shorts sitting low on Santana's hips. She found herself insanely jealous of the water that was getting to roll down to parts of Santana that Brittany desperately longed to feel for herself. Just thinking about it made a shiver run down her body. She was so lost in thought that she almost missed what was said to her.

"You like what you see?" Santana teased. Their whole day had been full of teasing moments, and though Brittany had done well making the Latina squirm all day, she felt like the payback she was experiencing now was more than she would be able to handle.

"Mhhmmm." Brittany mumbled. Her eyes focused on Santana's face and she saw her smirking as she felt her own cheeks blushing.

"Too bad we've gotta finish this before we get to do anything." Santana whispered in Brittany's ear before walking to the front of her car. She figured the blonde would be staring, so she swayed her hips as she walked away. Brittany still reeling from Santana's warm breath on her ear, was staring openly at Santana's ass, mouth agape. Santana looked down and noticed that her white shorts had become see-through and her bikini bottoms were now visible.

Brittany's eyes snapped up when she heard Santana laughing: her face turned a deeper shade of crimson red before spreading to her ears and neck, knowing she had been caught yet again.

"Ugh, you're such a tease!" Brittany ran her hands through her long hair before pulling it up into a messy bun- matching the Latina's.

"You started it… I told you earlier that payback is a bitch." She walked over to the blonde and gave her a quick peck on the lips. "C'mon, the sooner we get this done the sooner we can finish what you started."

"Fine, fine. How about I clean the trash out of the inside while you start soaping up the outside." Brittany handed Santana the soap and bucket while grabbing the febreeze and glass cleaner from the detailing bag.

She grabbed a garbage bag and started putting the candy wrappers, soda bottles, napkins, and other trash in it. Santana normally kept her car clean, but the trip over here had made it a little messy. She opened the front door just as Santana was kicking off her flip-flops and climbing on top of the hood.

"San, what're you doing up there?" Brittany chuckled.

"It's not funny Britt. This stupid fuckin bird shit won't come off. It's like they ate a whole damn bush of berries." She groaned while she tried to scrub harder.

"It is… a little funny." Brittany laughed and climbed into the car, closing the door behind her.

Santana let out a frustrated grunt and continued to scrub away.

Brittany focused her attention on cleaning the dash and steering column before turning her attention to the middle console area. She was cleaning out the cup holders and throwing away gum wrappers when she heard Santana let out a frustrated grunt—she still hadn't gotten the bird poop off the roof. Brittany looked up and her throat immediately went dry.

Santana's breasts were pressed against the car's windshield and she reached forward and tried to scrub harder. Her boobs were moving up and down against the glass, the soapy water making them slide more easily, and her nipples were poking the glass like little twin peaks.

Brittany could feel herself getting wet, and she was sure it wasn't from their water fight earlier. Before she knew what she was doing, she moved her hand down over her stomach and dipped it slightly below her white shorts waistband and into her bikini bottoms. She had a moment of clarity and looked around, but she was cloaked in a soapy canopy—and she was certain that the dark tint on the windows would prevent any unwanted snoopers from seeing anything anyway. Her hand resumed its path and she whimpered slightly as her fingers came in contact with her wet heat. Since her and Santana hadn't had sex yet she didn't know what it would feel like to have her fingers pressed into her, but she was imagining it to the best of her ability.

The blonde's eyes were trained forward and focused on the Latina's bouncing bosom as she pressed down on her clit a little harder and ran a finger up and down in between her folds. She briefly wondered whether Santana was teasing her on purpose, but she quickly figured out that she didn't care. Either way, it was hot and she couldn't care less what the intentions were. Before she could stop herself, she released a loud moan into air. She quickly bit her lip, hoping Santana didn't hear, but that hope was quickly dashed when Santana ducked her head down to peer into the car.

Santana had been scrubbing the hood, which was almost completely free of the bird poop, when she thought she heard a noise sounding awfully similar to a moan of pleasure. She tried to look into the cabin through the windshield, but the soap was blocking her view. She quickly wiped it away with her hand that wasn't holding the sponge. Before the Brittany had a chance to remove her hand from her pants, she saw Santana looking at her with an amused and lustful look on her face. She knew she had been caught. Santana held up her finger and waggled it back and forth in the universal "no-no" motion.

Santana quickly rinsed her hands off with the nearby hose and yanked open the passenger side door. She stood there for a second, an unreadable expression on her face, before she climbed in and straddled Brittany's lap. She closed the door, not caring whether her leather seats got wet or not. They locked eyes, both clearly darkened and portraying pure lust and unadulterated need. The waiting for months and teasing for weeks was coming close to pushing both girls over the edge of desire.

Everyone had started to migrate their way across the parking lot, and they could barely hear the concert from where they were, but they didn't really care about anything going on outside of the car at that moment. Brittany sat there motionless for a second, trying to figure out what just happened, before snapping back into reality and whispering, "San, you're so hot." Santana leaned down and captured Brittany's lips in a searing kiss. Her hands tangled in blonde hair as she loosened Brittany's bun so that her hair fell over her shoulders. Their tongues continued to fight for dominance as Santana used her teeth to tug gently on Brittany's lower lip. "You couldn't wait til we got back to the hotel, could you?" Santana let out a soft chuckle.

Brittany pulled her back down into another passionate kiss, moaning into Santana's mouth, for another minute before responding, "not with your boobs sliding against the glass like they were." She ran her hands down the Latina's thighs and gripped her ass, pulling her closer, "all day you've been throwing seductive glances my way and I couldn't handle it any longer." Brittany blushed at her admittance.

"How about we ditch everyone so I can help you out with that?" Santana murmured before locking eyes with Brittany and giving her a look that the blonde swore screamed 'fuck me'. She felt her entire body tense with anticipation when Santana started to grind her hips down into Brittany. The blonde felt a shiver run through her body before going straight to her center. Brittany tried to contain own growing arousal, but her hips rose to meet Santana halfway. The pace quickened and they both whimpered at the increased contact. Brittany grabbed a hold of Santana's hips, rocking them back and forth in time with her own rhythm.

When Santana reached down to recline the seat, Brittany wrapped her hand around the brunette's wrist. "No, San, we should go back to the hotel."

"But Britt," she whined a little, "I really, really want this."

Brittany pulled the Latina closer, "I really, really want this too. But I also want to be able to explore and appreciate you without worrying about who might see or come and interrupt us."

"Yeah, I guess." Santana exhaled and rested her forehead against Brittany's. She closed her eyes and tried to regulate her breathing. "We should probably get out of this car, cause I can't guarantee my willpower will stay this strong."

* * *

"Hey Kurt, do you think we get a ride with you back to our hotel after we go out to the club?" Kurt looked at Quinn and Puck. He was shocked at Puck's request considering they rode over with Santana.

"Uh, sure. That won't be a problem. Blaine is on his way here to pick me up, do you need to ride with us to the club too?"

"Yes please. Even if Santana offered to drop us off, I don't want to get in that car until it's had time to air out."

Kurt threw an inquisitive look over to where Santana's car was parked and noticed her and Brittany climbing out of the car together, each sporting messy hair and disheveled clothes. Suddenly it clicked, "Oh. I see. Um, yeah, you guys can totally ride with us. So, they're going at it like bunnies huh?"

Puck groaned, he did not want to be talking about Santana's sex life, but figured the quicker he answered the sooner the conversation would be over. "No, not yet. Last night we found them cuddled on their balcony asleep on the lounger. They've just been teasing each other like crazy. I think that'll probably change tonight, though. They've been even more touchy than normal."

"Yeah, hopefully they'll be done by the time we get back to the hotel." Quinn laughed at herself. "Okay, maybe we should probably get earplugs. Ohhh, and drink a helluva lot so we can ignore them." Quinn rolled her eyes playfully and looked at Puck who was smirking at her.

"Or we could create our own noise to drown them out…"

Kurt's eyes widened and he clapped his hands to distract the lovebirds in front of him, "OOOOOKKKKAAAAYYYYY! Blaine's pulling up, let's get going."

They walked over to Blaine's red Nissan Pathfinder, who was parked next to Santana's Q5.

"Hey San, Rachel left with Randall to meet us at the club, we're gonna ride over with Blaine and Kurt. Don't worry about us, we have a ride for after the club in case you guys decide to get dinner and dessert without us there."

Santana smirked and Brittany blushed, "Thanks Q. Don't count on seeing us there, I'm starving…"

"Oh goddddd." Kurt groaned and hurried into the passenger seat. He did not want that mental image in his head.

* * *

Santana pulled on Brittany's hair, her head craning back, brown eyes meeting sky blue. She smirked her signature Lopez smirk and kissed her deeply as her hands roamed all over her back. She slid off of the blonde's lap and slowly lifted up the blonde's yellow tank top as she kissed a trail down the front of a heaving pale chest, leaving a wet hot trail in her wake. Brittany reached out and ran her hands through long chestnut brown wavy locks. Santana looked up at the action and smiled as she began running her fingers over the waistband of Brittany's white shorts; slowly snaking her other hand over the front on the shorts and running one finger over her clothed center, coming in contact with her throbbing clit. Brittany gasped, pulling Santana in closer and pulling her hair just a tad bit harder.

The blonde smiled down at the Latina as she slid Brittany's shorts down around her ankles. She sighed, pulled the shorter girl back on top of her lap, and kissed her swollen lips roughly. She looked into the blown brown pupils of her lover and began nibbling down her jaw and neck, untying the other girl's halter bikini top, only pulling her lips away from caramel skin to completely remove the garment. She grazed her fingertips around Santana's torso while the other dipped into her matching bikini bottoms. The Latina gasped and shuddered, clawing at the blonde's shoulders.

Brittany smiled and picked the Latina up, tan legs immediately circling the blonde's waist, and moved them onto the bed. Brittany pulled back after lying the Latina down and stood up. She reached back to untie her marigold and blue-stripped bikini top and slide down her matching bottoms. Santana took in the beautiful woman in front of her. Her eyes roamed over the long legs that went on for days. She adjusted her position so that she could get a batter look, and almost moaned at the smell of Brittany's arousal invading her nose. It was the sweetest mix of her soap and the pure essence of Brittany. She licked her lips as her eyes took in every birthmark and freckle she could see. Her eyes landed on the apex of her thighs and she audibly moaned at the blonde's glistening sex.

Santana licked her lips, "Do you really plan on standing there all night? Because I don't know how much longer I can handle not touching you."

Brittany walked over to the bed and bent over Santana's lap, putting her perfect breasts in the Latina's face. She leaned in towards the shorter girl's ear, "I like it when you're demanding like this."

Santana moaned shamelessly as Brittany kissed her way down the Latina's neck: nibbling, sucking, and soothing the skin there. She grazed her lips over her perky breasts and around each dark brown nipple before turning her attention to the mounds and valley beneath her.

"Britt, please touch me." Santana practically begged.

Brittany smirked into the skin at Santana's navel and swirled her tongue around her abs before slowly making her way down to the apex of the Latina's hips. Just as Brittany would come close to Santana's center she would move away, not wanting to give in to the Latina's begging just yet.

Her fingertips ghosted over the cloth, "God, San, you're so wet."

Santana moaned loudly into the empty room. She bucked her hips up, trying to relieve the pressure any way she could think of, but Brittany moved too quickly. The dancer kissed her way down tan legs and removed the last piece of clothing either of them was wearing, groaning at the amazing musky scent of her lover. She stopped all of her movement, causing Santana to groan, but she couldn't take her eyes off the beautiful glistening center before her eyes. Santana, becoming increasingly agitated at the lack of contact looked up to see what was causing the other girl to stop. Brittany looked into deep brown eyes, "San, you're so beautiful. I will never get tired of seeing you like this." Before Santana could respond, Brittany lowered her head and inhaled the most intoxicating scent she'd ever smelled.

She kissed her way down Santana's right leg, then back up her left leg; she was enjoying watching the Latina move beneath her and loving every minute of her reaction. She dipped her head down, licking Santana's throbbing clit, before groaning at the amazing taste assaulting her taste buds. "Mhmm, babe. You taste so fucking delicious."

Santana moaned, her hips bucking up to meet Brittany's tongue, "Oh, gah, B-Britt…"

Brittany trailed one finger down Santana's wet heat and teased at her entrance. Santana bucked up again, but not before Brittany moved back. "Please, baby, I need more."

Brittany continued to tease at her entrance while sucking her clit in between her lips and letting go. She licked up her folds once more before slowly slipping one finger inside, "Oh… you're so tight… you feel so good."

Santana threw her head back as her back arched up off of the mattress. She gripped the white sheets in one hand and her other hand searched for Brittany's. The blonde pulled the Latina's hand to her mouth and began sucking on her pointer finger. The sensation of feeling Brittany's mouth encircling her finger while also feeling Brittany's finger pumping in and out of her almost pushed her over the edge.

"I need more… please"

Brittany dipped her head back down, licking her clit, moving her finger inside of her, then adding another one. Santana moaned and began rocking her hips to meet Brittany's thrusts. The blonde kissed a heated trail back up Santana's torso, stopping at each breast and pulling a hardened nipple into her mouth each time. Santana threw her head back to give Brittany access to her neck again. The blonde, slightly overcome by her own aching arousal, bit down hard before licking the stinging sensation away.

The dancer's center was aching for contact so she maneuvered her body so that she was straddling the Latina's thigh as she lowered her center down. "uuhhh… San, I don't think I'm going to last long."

The pleased moan tumbling from Brittany's mouth sent a shiver up Santana's spine. Brittany's center was hot, and damp, and rolling rhythmically against the Latina's thigh.

Her breathing was already labored as she gazed into the mocha colored lust-filled hooded eyes staring back up at her. She breathed in and pushed her fingers back into Santana, adding a hip thrust to provide more friction for her throbbing clit and to push her deeper into the Latina.

"Santana… Baby" she gasped out.

Santana smiled slightly, hearing her name like that on Brittany's lips had to be one of the sexiest things she's ever heard.

Brittany could feel the Latina's walls contracting and pulsating around her fingers, so she knew she was close. She pulled out slowly, pushing back in at an even slower pace until she felt the little bumpy section and curled her fingertips.

"Holy fuck!... Right there baby…. Faster!" Santana's eyes rolled to the back of her head and Brittany had to bite her lip to keep from crying out at the beautiful writhing girl beneath her. She rocked her hips faster, feeling the coil in her lower abdomen tighten repeatedly. The Latina was going crazy beneath her, mumbling in Spanish, when her hands flew into blonde hair and pulled the girl down closer, "I'm soooo close. Don't stop."

Brittany leaned forward and kissed the Latina hard as she picked up her pace and continued to curl her fingers over and over again. Finally she rubbed her thumb over Santana's clit while curling her fingers to press firmly into _that spot _when the coil broke. Santana pulled herself up and dug her nails into Brittany's back, "venido por mí, Britt". Not knowing what the Latina said, but not being able to withstand the sexy way it was husked into her ear, Brittany came in a semi silent cry and she kept rocking her hips and thrusting her fingers Santana.

They each rode out their orgasm and lay there in a haze- their lungs struggling to fill their need for oxygen.

"Ho-holy shit... Well worth the wait."

"Yeah," Brittany breathed out, barely above a whisper.

They laid in bed, wrapped up in one another, listening to their ragged breaths slowly return to normal. Santana inhaled deeply and moaned at the intensity of her scent mixed with Brittany's. She flipped them over and nibbled on the outer shell of Brittany's ear, "the night's young and we have to make up for lost time… Ready for round 2?"


	10. Flailing vs Falling

A/N: I appreciate all of the reviews/ favs/ follows/ lurkers/ etc. We're entering into the start of the school year which means 'time jumps' will happen in the next few chapters bc let's be real- student life can be a bit mundane and repetitive. I'll label them so I don't lose you. As far as this chapter is concerned: We're in the 2nd week of August. Thanks, again, and enjoy!

PS- I still own nothing but the ideas in my head. Sad but true.

* * *

Chapter 10: Flailing vs Falling

What makes something 'worth it'?

We all go through the battle between chasing our desires and defending our hearts. We use defense mechanisms to protect ourselves from feelings of anxiety or inadequacy or hurt or rejection. We put up our walls and try to fend off any advance into our sacred space. Sometimes these defenses are involuntary products of our subconscious mind: we repress thoughts that might makes us feel guilty, smokers may refuse to admit to themselves that smoking is bad for their health, we rationalize "the facts" to make an event or an impulse less threatening—often times our excuses come so naturally that we don't realize the lies we tell ourselves. Other times walls are put up knowingly; like when you refuse to look someone in the eye or you refuse to talk about your feelings.

When you've been hurt you learn how to protect yourself. You learn to recognize what puts you in danger and how to stay away from it. You learn when to gamble and when to fold. You learn how to hide. You learn when to run.

* * *

Mercedes sat in the back booth of Sister's Café tapping her nails on the wooden table. She had been waiting on Santana to show up for 10 minutes and the other girl still wasn't responding to her texts. Just as she was about to call her, Mercedes' phone rang.

"Where the hell are you?"

"Well, hello to you too Wheezy. Yes, I'm having a fantastic morning, thank you for asking. No I didn't wreck, but I appreciate your concern for my safety and well being."

Even though Mercedes couldn't see the Latina, she could practically hear the smirk on the other end of the line. "Yeah yeah, glad you're safe. Now, where the hell are you? I've been waiting on you for like an hour."

Santana laughed into the phone as she walked into the little café that was popular with the older crowd during the week and the hangover-suffering college crowd on the weekends. She walked up to the hostess and mouthed 'how long has she been here?' and pointed to the back of Mercedes' head. The hostess laughed, used to Santana and Mercedes' group coming in, and mouthed back '10 minutes' Santana nodded and quietly thanked her.

"Bitch please, you and I both know you wouldn't have waited that long before calling to cuss me out."

Mercedes looked up from the table when she heard the echo of Santana's voice. "Why the hell didn't you just hang up?"

"Because I wanted you to know what it felt like to have my voice in surround sound." Santana laughed and slid into the booth across from the other girl.

Mercedes rolled her eyes and disconnected the phone call. She took in the general appearance of her friend and smiled. She had come straight to the café wearing her black pants, red button up shirt, and red heels. Yet Santana had presumably just rolled out of bed and looked amazing. She had probably just thrown on the baggy NYU grey sweats, which judging by the length she assumed to be Brittany's, and a teal tank top and black cross trainers. Santana was positively glowing.

**San did u know there's 21 letters in the alphabet? –B**

**B there's 26 letters in the alphabet. -S**

"So, spill it. What's got you in a good mood?"

Santana looked up from her phone, "oh, uh, nothing. I just had a few too many cups of coffee. It's got me all jittery."

**Oh I must've forgotten U. R. A. Q. T. –B**

Santana couldn't stop the laugh that escaped her lips.

"C'mon Satan, I'm living vicariously through your love life right now. Please give me something happy to think about."

"Well, last night Britt decided she wanted to try something new…"

"Oh hell naw, I don't need those details!"

"Calm your tits, I was just going to tell you about teaching her a few chords on the guitar."

**You're a dork. –S**

**True. But I'm your dork. –B**

"…antana. Hellloooooo?" Mercedes waved her hand in front of the Latina's face. "Hey, what's wrong? You look like someone just punched you in the stomach."

"Um nothing." Santana tried to calm her breathing, which had grown very shallow. "I just need some water or something."

Mercedes slid Santana's water glass closer to her, "ok, that's not nothing. You don't have to tell me anything you don't want to."

Santana slid her phone over to Mercedes so she could see the texting conversation.

**Mercedes is going to kill me if I don't get there soon. And it's all your fault ;) –S**

**You weren't complaining while we were in bed. –B**

**Or against the bathroom door. -B**

**Or in the shower. –B**

"Santana, that's a pretty elaborate way to tell me about your sex life." The Latina scrunched her eyebrows in confusion then shook her head and scrolled to the last few messages for Mercedes to read. "Oh, why are you freaking out about that? I don't get it."

Mercedes could see the wheels turning in Santana's mind; so she sat there quietly, sipping on her coffee, letting her friend process her thoughts.

Santana sighed and leaned her head against the back of the booth. Why was she freaking out? Brittany makes her happy, that should be reason enough to be okay with taking their relationship to the next level, right? They already live together. They've gone on dates. They already had sex, so they kind of already crossed that line. Why is defining the relationship hard to do? Santana struggled with the voice in her head. _I'm scared I'm not good enough. I'm scared she's in it for the good times but won't stick around when things get rocky. I'm scared she'll find someone better. I'm scared I'll let her in and she'll decide to leave. _

Santana exhaled a shaky breath and grabbed her phone, "it's nothing. Forget I mentioned it."

Mercedes slid her hands across the table and wrapped Santana's hands in hers. "I know you're scared, and you have every right to be. You've been through some pretty crappy situations. But you can't put your life on hold. You've gotta realize that this is your life. Right now. And you're wasting it away being anxious about something that should make you feel on top of the world. That girl cares about you and I can tell you feel the same way. You can't help it if you're falling in love."

Santana' eyes got wide and she yanked her hands out of Mercedes' reach. "I-I never said anything about love. You know what, let's forget this conversation happened. I'm starving." She looked around the restaurant and waved the waiter over so they could order.

Mercedes felt bad about pushing Santana too far; clearly the Latina wasn't ready to admit her feelings to herself, let alone anyone else. "Look, I'm sorry. I won't bring it up again. Just know I'm here if you ever want to talk."

Santana stiffly nodded her head and fiddled with her napkin. "Okay, so why did you want to meet here in the first place? School hasn't started yet for us to pick back up on our weekly lunch dates. Plus, I'm doing my internship with you this semester so we'll probably grab lunch more than just once a week like before."

"I got a job offer at a recording studio."

Santana's face immediately transformed into a huge grin. Mercedes dream was to be a record producer and a singer, so getting her foot in the door outside of her internship was a huge deal. "Oh my gosh! That's awesome! When you do start? Will you be able to count it towards your internship credit hours?"

Mercedes face fell a little, "Well, that's the problem… The job is in Los Angeles. And they want to me start next month, right after Labor Day."

"Wait, so you wouldn't finish school? You only have a year left."

"I know I only have 2 semesters til I have my degree and my grams isn't getting any younger. But what if this position isn't there in a year? What if this is my only opportunity? I mean, what if this is fate? What if this job offer gets me one step closer to fulfilling my destiny?"

Santana bit her bottom lip: do we create our destiny or do we discover our fate? Do we make things happen or do we merely encounter what was there all along? Santana's mind drifted back to her situation with Brittany. Was finding happiness with the blonde some discovery that was made because of choices she made in life or was it some big case of Fate waving its magical serendipity wand. Is life just a series of fortunate accidents?

Santana shook her head to focus her attention back on the girl in front of her. "I get that, but if they think your work is talented enough right now, they're bound to think the same thing in a year- when you have more experience and knowledge to go with it. But, I can't tell you what to do; you really need to think this through with a clear head."

**Are you still at the studio? -S**

"I know, I know. I just needed to tell someone who would understand how huge of a decision this is."

**Yeppers I have another class coming in now. –B**

They spent the rest of their lunch time shooting gossip: apparently Rachel and Randall are still talking, Blaine and Kurt are moving in together, Quinn and Puck act like an old married couple, and Mercedes is still single- though she's going on her third date with that stripper 'White Chocolate' that she mentioned at the 4th of July cookout.

* * *

Santana walked into MMDC studios just as the last of Brittany's students were leaving. She was just about to enter a classroom when a voice startled her.

"Can I help you with something?"

Santana turned around to face the girl, "Um yeah, I'm here to see Brittany."

"Oh, sorry, you have to sign in. We have kids classes so we don't let people walk around unaccounted for." Santana nodded her head and signed her name to the form. When she looked up from the paper she noticed the brunette was staring blatantly at her cleavage._ Well it's obvious she likes the ladies. _

"You need a visitors badge, too." The brunette walked around the front desk and tried to pin the badge to Santana's shirt, but before she could Santana grabbed the badge and pinned it herself.

She looked at the other girl's nametag, "Thanks for the help, Marley. Is that all I need to do?"

Marley visibly deflated and nodded her head, "Yeah, she's in room 3."

_I will not take my love away_

_When praises cease and seasons change_

Santana slowly opened the door to the classroom and slid in to the back. Brittany was wearing black yoga pants and a loose grey shirt. She had discarded her socks and shoes in favor of going barefoot.

_While the whole world turns the other way_

_I will not take my love away_

Brittany was running and leaping across the floor space. Extending her arms and pointing her toes; running to the edge of the dance area without hesitation. Moving from one progression to another with seamless transitions.

_I will not leave you all alone_

_When striving leads you far from home_

Santana admired how Brittany's movements looked effortless. She allowed her body to flow with the music. Her movements, whether fast or slow, always seemed to convey every emotion flawlessly.

_And there's no yield for what you've sown_

_I will not leave you all alone_

Santana's eyes never looked away from the dancer as she finished the routine.

_I will give you what you need_

_In plenty or in poverty_

_Forever, always, look to me_

_And I will give you what you need_

Suddenly blue eyes opened and connected with the brown ones across the room, "What're you doing here?"

Santana was trying to calm her rapidly beating heart. Even though they were standing apart, she feared the dancer might be able to hear how hard it was slamming against her chest. "I figured you didn't pack a lunch, so I brought you lunch."

Brittany crossed the room slowly and took the bag from Santana. "Thanks San." She looked down at the shorter girl's plump lips and began to lean in.

Santana cleared her throat and took a step back. The conversation with Mercedes paired with the way her heart was beating was becoming too much for her to handle. "Um Britt, I have to go. I'm sorry."

Brittany's brow crinkled in confusion, "o-okay. Do you want to grab dinner later or watch a movie or something?"

Santana closed her eyes and exhaled a shallow breath; she couldn't stand to see the disappointed look on Brittany's face. "I don't think I'll be home until later. Why don't you and Quinn do something fun?" She tried to smile, but she was sure it looked more like a grimace. She leaned up and kissed Brittany on the cheek before slipping back out the door.

Sometimes before we even realize what's happening the shields that are meant to protect us end up hurting us. Is the gamble worth it?

* * *

"Wait, so you just left her there?" Puck and Santana were cleaning the back bar and restocking. She had come over to Puck's to clear her head, but decided to slip into clothes she still had in his apartment and help with a few things at Slay instead.

"I needed to get this stuff done, you know that." Santana sighed and reached for her phone. She had a new picture message. There in the frame was Brittany, sitting in front of the pond they had gone on their first unofficial-official date. Her hair was down, shining golden from the sun, and blowing slightly in the wind.

**Wish you were here. Quinn and I might go to the movies. Want to join? - B**

"No, what I know is that you're using paperwork as an excuse not to talk to Brittany. You and I both know that you wait til the last minute to do any admin stuff and now you're trying to do it two weeks early."

Santana was dizzy, her mind going in circles. Her heart was screaming _There's no place I'd rather be_, but she couldn't say that. Not right now. Not while she was still trying to figure everything out. She quickly typed out a response before sliding her phone back into her jeans and turning to face Puck.

**You 2 have fun. - S**

She shook her head, "look Dr. Phil, I don't need you to try to psychoanalyze me. Let me do my work in peace."

Puck held his hands up in defeat and went back to polishing glasses and cutting fruit.

_I'm gonna knock you out_

_Mama said knock you out_

Santana fished her phone out of her back jeans pocket and quickly swiped her finger across to answer it. She put the phone up to her ear, "Hola Mami."

"HIIIIIII!"

"Santanita, what are you doing?"

"WOULD YOU TWO SHUT UP?"

She heard chuckling in the background and looked down at her phone again. There smiling back brightly was Benji, Nicolas and Maribel.

"Whoa, well, I guess I didn't realize this was a FaceTime call. Puck and I are working behind the bar right now." She turned the phone towards Puck just as he was yelling out a 'hello' to the Lopez family. "Here, why don't you guys talk while I finish up a few things." She tried to hand the phone to Puck but he shook his head and held up his bar towel.

"No, we want to talk to you both. So, put down your stuff and make time for your familia." Maribel chastised from the other end.

"Mami, I have a lot I need to get done so I can't stay on the phone long." She rolled her eyes and sighed before hopping onto a bar stool next to Puck.

"We won't keep you long, we just wanted to figure out what your plans were for your birthdays. Noah, are you doing anything next week for your big day?"

Noah looked back at Santana and she smiled and nodded her head, "Actually Mama Lo, San and I talked about just doing something together since our birthdays are only two weeks apart. Pops mentioned something to me last week about you guys coming this way for Labor Day weekend, and we both agreed" he nodded his head towards Santana, "that we just want to have a family dinner with you guys."

"Mija, this is your twenty first birthday! Surely you don't want to sit around with us old folks. You should be going out and celebrating with your friends. I'm sure Quinn and Brittany will want to do something for the two of you." Nicolas teased her and Puck from the other end. Maribel, who was looking on, thought she noticed Santana tense at the mention of the other girls.

"Santanita, don't you want to do something special with Brittany?" Santana nodded her head once, but didn't say a word.

"Uh-oh, looks like trouble in paradise. What'd you do to screw it up this time?" Maribel smacked Benji on the back of his head and told him to leave the room if he couldn't shut his mouth and be nice.

Nicolas tried to ease back into the conversation, "We will come out to celebrate with all of you. We had already planned on staying in Montauk since Ben has a long weekend. So we can have a big dinner with whomever you want to invite, just make sure you let people know soon since it's only a few weeks away and over a holiday."

"Sure thing, Papi. Well, I'm going to, um, go back to the office to get started on that paperwork." Santana got up from her stool before Nicolas interrupted her.

"Wait, Mija, let us say bye to Noah first."

The group exchanged their goodbyes, but not before Maribel made a big deal out of how excited she was that Quinn and Brittany accepted her Facebook friendship request. When Santana got her phone back only Nicolas was on the screen, "Santana, let's get off video and talk like regular."

"So, tell me what's going on? Why do you seem sad? You know you can call me any time, right?"

Santana pinched the bridge of her nose and sat down in the swivel chair in the back office, "I know, I'm not sad, just have a lot on my mind." She took a deep breath in and held it as long as she could, but she knew that Nicolas wouldn't say another word. He was giving her the time to let it all out.

"Papi, I don't know what to do," she whispered into the phone. She didn't want to cry, and she had done well to hold it all in, but she couldn't take it any longer. "I-I like her, and she likes me… but what if it changes? What if she ch-changes her mind? … School is about to start again. Work is busy. I can't do this… I need to focus on graduating and f-finding a job. 'Cedes already got offered a job. I just need to f-focus … right?"

Nicolas took a moment to allow Santana to calm her erratic breathing. "Honey it's ok. Calm down. Breathe." He hesitated, wanting to make sure she was ok and could fully hear him, "I know, and you know, that you are an amazingly talented young woman. You're smart and beautiful and fiercely loyal to those you hold near and dear. You will be successful. Your knack for music is definitely from your mother, I remember when you would sit in on her teaching her music class and you would outshine her students. You have nothing to worry about in that department."

Santana nodded even though she knew her dad couldn't see her through the phone. While she was really nervous about her last year of college, that wasn't what was weighing heaviest on her mind.

"As far as your feelings for Brittany goes, it's obvious that you two care deeply for each other. She looks at you like you hold the key to every unanswered question she's ever had. And you look at her like she hangs the moon in the sky every night. And, I got all of that from the first time I met her – which was quite a while ago. I know it's scary."

"Well, that's an understatement." Santana mumbled and rolled her eyes.

"If you don't listen to anything else I tell you tonight you need to know one thing."

"What is it Papi? Tell me the secret to life and love." Santana joked, trying to lighten the mood.

"You can try to put your life on hold to fulfill some imaginary checklist, but happiness waits for no one. She's a catch and you're a catch- don't let her go just because you're afraid. Talk to the girl- she's smart and probably just as scared as you. Leaving her in the dark isn't going to do anything to help the situation."

* * *

Santana spent the beginning of the evening in the office doing paperwork that she would rather not have to do. She silently wondered what Brittany was doing and if she was having fun. Sitting back in the chair and closing her eyes, she tried to find some sort of peace of mind. _Come on. This is not the _you_ I know._

She shook her head.

_Now I've had the time of my life_

_No I never felt like this before_

_Yes I swear it's the truth_

_and I owe it all to you._

Her head popped up. She knew that voice. Puck was singing.

_'Cause I've had the time of my life_

_and I owe it all to you_

And so was Quinn.

Since it was karaoke night, the place was packed and Santana had to push her way to the side of the stage. She scanned the crowd trying her hardest to spot a tall blonde dancer, but she couldn't see that far into the crowd. She looked back towards the bar, trying to spot Brittany, but couldn't see her there either.

Once Puck and Quinn finished their song, they made their way off to the side stage near Santana. "You guys were great up there!"

She was still looking around when she heard Quinn laughing, "She's not here. She went back to the studio to work on her routine."

"I wasn't looking for her, I was just noticing how packed it's gotten."

Santana made her way over to the bar to help them finishing closing out the tabs. It was just past 1am and they had just finished 'last call'. Santana was about to go back to the office when Mercedes walked over, "Hey girl, I didn't know you were back here tonight. Why didn't you sing?"

"Nah, just letting all the other stars shine tonight."

Mercedes looked taken aback, "whoa. Who are you and what have you done with Satan?" She pulled Santana in closer to her and whispered in her ear, "you and music go together. Maybe if you sing about it you'll find some answers."

* * *

Santana made her way to the stage and sat on the piano bench. "Hey guys, I hope you don't mind," she cleared her throat and used her hand to shield her eyes from the bright light, "but I wanted to come up here and play a song. It's not karaoke, so feel free to boo me off the stage." She chuckled and the crowd cheered her on.

She very rarely got up on the stage to sing, at least not at Slay and not while sober. In fact, she's only ever been on this stage twice. The first time was for the grand opening and the second was when they first introduced karaoke nights and the crowd made her stay on stage until she sang something. She has no issues with performing in front of crowds, she just tries to keep her business at Slay separate from her future career. But Slay is known for being an NYU student hangout, and the crowd knows who Santana Lopez is – so they try to do all they can to get her on stage every week.

**Britt u need to get to Slay. – Q**

**I just walked up but the bouncer won't let me in bc it's ab to close. – B**

**Come to the back I'll let u in. – Q**

The piano rang through the bar and the crowd quickly settled down. People could even be heard shushing others.

_Come on, come on_

_You have got to move on_

_This is not the you I know_

Santana squeezed her eyes shut. The lyrics were hitting close to home and she was tinkering on the edge of falling in to the pit of feelings that she had tried so hard to stay away from.

_This isn't real_

_It's just all you can feel_

_And that's the way that feelings go_

_And whether or not it's right or wrong you'll do what you will do_

She let out a shaky breath before scanning the crowd. She could only make out the front few rows, but they were all looking at her in awe. A few even had their phones out recording the performance.

_When the cloud in the sky starts to pour_

_And your life is just a storm you're braving_

_Don't tell yourself you can't lean on someone else_

_Cause we all need saving sometimes_

Brittany stood near the back of the room next to Quinn, Puck, and Mercedes. She had heard Santana sing many times, but each time was a brand new experience. She felt a tingle going up her arms and her chest tightened as she took in the Latina's appearance. When Santana had left the studio in such a hurry earlier, Brittany knew that something was wrong. Then when Santana sent the vague response to her picture, she figured it had something to do with her. So she went to the studio to dance. It was the only thing she was able to do to get her mind off of the weird behavior. Yet there she was, getting a glimpse into the world of Santana and how she processes her feelings.

_Say what you will but the time that we fill_

_While we're on the earth_

_Should not be alone_

_We were meant to be known_

_You make me what I'm worth_

_But I can't keep you from yourself you'll do what you will do_

Santana stopped playing the piano entirely and sang a few lines of the song a cappela.

_I don't know why it has to be this way and_

_I don't know the cure_

_But please believe someone has felt this before_

She started playing again, trying to finish the song before she started to cry. Puck took a step towards the stage, but Brittany grabbed his hand and shook her head. She wanted to talk to Santana to figure out what was going on. Mercedes and Quinn smiled at Brittany and nodded her on for encouragement. Puck pulled Brittany in for a hug, "she's not always pleasant when she's working through something. But you've got this. You should learn how to deal with her moodiness now anyway." He winked and backed back up to the wall next to Quinn.

_When the cloud in the sky starts to pour_

_And your life is just a storm you're braving_

_Don't tell yourself you can't lean on someone else_

_Cause we all need saving sometimes_

The crowd's applause and hollering was at an all time high and Santana smiled and spoke into the mic, "Thanks for putting up with me. I hope to see you all back here soon! Now get out, I'm tired." She started to walk towards the edge of the stage when she noticed a pair of bright blue eyes looking back at her. She slowed her pace down a bit trying to giver her heart enough time to stop jack hammering behind her ribs.

Brittany walked up the steps to meet Santana half way. "Hey, you were wonderful…" She leaned in to give the Latina a hug. She felt Santana's arms grip tighter when she went to pull away, so she wrapped her back up and held her close. They stayed that way for quite a while until Puck cleared his throat.

"Hey, I locked up the front. Everything is done for the night, will you lock the back and set the alarm when you leave?"

Santana nodded her head and grabbed Brittany's hand and led her back towards the piano. "I know you're probably confused about why I've been acting weird today."

Brittany nodded, "yeah, but you don't have to tell me anything other than what I did wrong. Just let me know so I don't do it again because today was miserable not talking to you."

Santana grabbed both of Brittany's hands and leaned in to place a gentle kiss on the blonde's lips. "Britt, you didn't do anything wrong. I just—I sometimes freak out. I swear you didn't do anything wrong, please don't think that. You've been perfect. You are perfect. And I swear I'll tell you everything, but not right now. Not tonight. I just need more time to process everything. Is that okay?"

Brittany smiled and nodded, "yeah I get that. Just don't shut me out. We all need saving sometimes."

Santana giggled and bumped her shoulder into the other girls. "Want to learn the guitar chords I was teaching you this weekend on the piano?"

"Duh! But you still haven't told me the lyrics or the name of the song." Brittany's bottom lip jutted out and Santana quickly kissed her pout away.

"That's because you would look it up on YouTube or something. I want to be the one to teach it to you." Santana placed Brittany's right hand on a few white and black keys then did the same to her left hand. She left her fingers on top of fair ones and gently pressed her fingers down in the correct order.

They did that for a while, Santana slowly positioning Brittany's hands before playing each note. "San, will you please play the song for me? I think I'll learn it better if I hear it all the way through at least once."

Santana started to argue, but Brittany cut her off with a kiss, "Please. We can even watch whatever movie you want to tonight. No Disney or cartoons. I promise." Santana pretended to think it over, but she was going to give in the minute Brittany asked.

"Fine fine. Just remember this for when I want you to dance for me." Brittany shook her head 'no' to the Latina's request, so Santana poked her in the ribs and began to tickle her.

"No tickling! I agree, okay okay, I agree! I'll dance for you whenever you ask."

* * *

Santana and Brittany walked into the condo and slowly trudged up the stairs. Santana followed Brittany to her bedroom and flopped across the bed. "Ugh, I'm so tired. Can we skip the movie and just go to bed?"

Brittany laid down near Santana's head and brushed the bangs out of her face, "Of course. Go switch into pajamas while I brush my teeth."

Santana reluctantly got up and made her way into her bedroom. When she got back to the blonde's room she walked into the bathroom and wet her toothbrush. "I hate having to walk back and forth." She looked up and caught the blonde's foamy grin in the mirror. She rolled her eyes and chuckled, "Yes, I know I'm being lazy. No, I don't care."

They finished in the bathroom and climbed into Brittany's bed. Santana stayed facing Brittany as she climbed into bed, "I know I'm not the easiest person to be around, if you don't want to deal with it I would understand." She looked away from Brittany's penetrating gaze before Brittany used her finger to pull her chin back forward.

"Don't do that. I don't need an out. If I wanted to leave I would have left, but right here is where I want to be. With you. So please, just let me be here with you and for you." Santana leaned in and kissed Brittany, but something about it felt different. It was like the stress and anxiety of the day had melted away and was replaced by joy and contentment.

They stayed kissing for a while and stealing glances at each other, fighting their heavy eyelids, until Santana heard Brittany's breathe even out. "Britt?"

When she didn't get a response she leaned up on her elbow. "Britt, you're the best thing that's happened to me in such a long time. Hell, probably ever. And so many people would tell me I'm foolish: either because they feel we're moving to fast or they think I'm not moving fast enough. But I want this to be perfect. I want to be perfect for you because you're for sure perfect for me."

She sighed and glanced at the freckles on Brittany's nose; the small dots seemed to form a pattern. She felt a smile tug at her lips thinking about how happy Brittany was to see her at the studio. But then she had to go mess it all up. "You're inches from my fingertips, both literally and figuratively, and I've come as close as I can get. I know you said that if you wanted to leave you would've already left, but that's what I'm afraid of. That you'll leave. So, I'm reaching but the rest is up to you. I don't ever wanna miss being here with you like this, so I'm trying to do this the right way."

Santana tucked a piece of hair behind Brittany's ear and kissed her nose, "I'm not sure why you'd choose to be with me, but I won't complain. The way you look at me, like I'm the only person in the room, is intoxicating and I feel myself getting high off of your smile. I wonder if you've noticed that I can't look away… I'll do whatever I can to make sure you always have what you need and want and deserve. I want to make sure I'm worth it to you."

She turned around and pressed her backside into Brittany's front. The blonde's arm instinctively wrapped around the Latina's waist while she nuzzled her face into the back of Santana's neck. She waited until Santana's body relaxed completely and she could hear her deep rhythmic breathing, "I think I'm falling for you, too."

* * *

All great poker players will agree that wanting to win isn't the hard part: it's knowing when to show your hand. Love is a gamble. When do you go all in?


	11. Blurred Lines

**A/N: Thanks for the love—I'm glad you guys and gals enjoyed last chapter.**

To answer 'guest': you are absolutely correct; they would get in trouble if they ever got caught, which is the reason she only helps out if they get into a jam. She's mostly there to do paperwork and run the behind the scenes stuff with Puck. But, it's still illegal… for one more chapter. Thank you for your review and suggestion- I think you'll like this chapter.

* * *

Chapter 11: Blurred Lines

Quinn and Brittany walked through the door of the condo to find Santana sitting on the couch with her journalism textbook on her lap and reading glasses on.

"Hey, there's pizza on the way." She said, eyes still trained on the paragraph she'd been reading for the last 30 minutes. She wouldn't have been so distracted if Brittany hadn't text her the cute picture of the blonde making a funny face behind Quinn followed by pics of them playing 'dress-up' in the toy store.

Quinn rolled her eyes, even though she knew the Latina couldn't see her. "Sure Santana, we don't need help carrying the bags in. Thanks for asking."

That caused Santana to look up and notice that the girls did indeed have their hands full of grocery bags. She set her book and highlighter on the coffee table and got up to help.

"Here babe, let me take those." She took all of the bags from Brittany's hands and stuck her tongue out at Quinn.

Brittany chuckled and took some bags from Quinn as they made their way into the kitchen as Santana was walking back out with a bottle of wine and three glasses in her hands. "I would help put those away, but someone's been distracting me all night and I need to finish studying for my exam on Monday."

"You already have an exam? It's the first week of school!"

"I know, Q. Life of a communications major. Plus I have Bev Pugh as my professor this semester. Did you know they nicknamed her 'She Devil' because she's like the toughest in the department?" Santana shook her head and poured herself a very full glass of white wine. "I might as well say goodbye to my personal life now. It's been nice knowing you both, see you after Christmas break."

Brittany walked out of the kitchen just as the pizza guy came to the door. She brought the pizzas over to the dining room table and grabbed 3 plates. "San, why did you order 3 pizzas?"

Santana set her glass down and took the 3 boxes of pizza instead. She lifted the lid and handed the first box to Quinn, she saw that the second box was hers, and then handed Brittany the Hawaiian Delight. "Because it's Saturday night and I'm staying in to study instead of going out. So I figured pizza and wine sounded like a great alternative."

"That's Santana code for: 'I feel like pigging out and didn't want to share with anyone else.'"

Quinn smirked before Santana snatched the pizza box out of her hand, "well, I guess that means you wouldn't mind sharing some of your Oinkers-delight pizza with me and Britt. I even had them put extra bacon on it."

"San, be nice. You know Quinn gets moody if you try to take her bacon."

"But, Britt, she started it. I was being nice by ordering us all our favorites."

Brittany leaned over to whisper so only the Latina could hear, "if you're nice to her now you can be naughty with me later."

Santana quickly gave a smirking Quinn back her pizza but not before mouthing 'this ain't over'.

Brittany slid in next to Santana on the couch and Quinn sat across from them on the love seat, "so why were you guys gone so long?"

"Well, Britt and I needed to go pick up a few things," the shorter blonde looked over at the dancer who was trying not to return the eye contact, "and got distracted by all of the parents and kids getting new backpacks and shoes and accessories. I forgot how much I used to love back-to-school shopping."

"You just love clothes shopping. And since we're technically going back to school, I vote for you to take Berry with you next time so she's stops looking like an overgrown toddler." Santana nodded her head at her own suggestion and took another bite of her thin crust margharita pizza.

"No way in hell would I survive that: if Kurt can't change her ways then there's no way I can." Santana nodded, Berry lives with a fucking fashionista and he still hasn't been able to smack any fashion sense into her. "And don't lie bia, back-to-school shopping is like nerd heaven for you."

Santana shrugged her shoulders, "Eh, I love this time of year and I'm not ashamed to admit it. It almost makes me wish I needed to buy all of the cool stuff. Then maybe people wouldn't look at me weird when I push their kids out of the way to get the last hot pink folders, multi-colored pens, and neon markers."

"Wait a second, you like hot pink?" Brittany clicked her tongue and looked at Santana like she was finally seeing a layer of the Latina that was previously hidden from her.

"Don't. Judge. Me." Santana narrowed her eyes playfully and punctuated each word with a quick peck on the lips.

"Ugh, you two are sickeningly sweet."

* * *

"Britt you have to be quiet or you're gonna wake Quinn up." The Latina continued her assault on Brittany's neck; slowly placing kisses over her pulse point, up the crook of her chin, and finally on her soft and slightly swollen pink lips. They were sitting down facing each other on the couch with Brittany straddling the Latina.

After eating their pizza and drinking over 2 bottles of wine, Quinn decided it was time to go to bed. Coincidentally enough her bedtime departure was right around the same time Brittany started to get a little handsy because she could feel the buzz from the wine kick in.

"Well, there are bedrooms, but you're the one that didn't want to stop studying." Brittany barely got her words out before Santana was pulling her back into a breath-stealing kiss. The brunette's tongue gently parted Brittany's lips and restarted the dueling match they had been having all night – each trying to gain control and set the pace.

"Yet here I am, not studying. Unless this can be counted towards Human Anatomy."

Brittany turned her head to look Santana in the eyes, "but you're not taking human anatomy, San."

"Well, let's pretend I am and that you're helping me study for an exam…"

Santana grabbed behind Brittany's thighs and maneuvered them so Brittany was lying on her back and Santana was kneeling between her spread legs. Brown eyes roamed over long lithe sun kissed legs. "He was right, you know?"

Brittany was taking in the sight of the most beautiful woman she's ever seen, when the question finally registered. "Wait, what? Who?"

"That douche bag from the fashion show. When he was hitting on you he said that it was a crime that you weren't up on the stage as one of the models… Brittany, you are soooooo beautiful."

The dancer sat up and reached forward to tuck a stray piece of hair behind Santana's ear. She allowed her hands to linger on the soft, tan skin of the girl she was slowly falling for, and leaned forward to press a gentle kiss to her plump rosy lips. She wanted to say so much, but the throbbing between her legs once again made itself be known. "Less talking. I can think of so many other things to do with that talented tongue of yours…"

Santana immediately got the hint and placed her hand behind Brittany's back as she lowered her back slowly. The blonde's legs spread wider to accommodate her, and she took it as an invitation to slowly allow their bodies to press together. She ran her hands over Brittany's shoulder, needing to feel skin on her fingertips.

Brittany ran her hands down Santana's sides and over her grey booty shorts before taking a firm grasp of the Latina's ass. Santana's hips jerked downwards at the sudden flood of arousal from Brittany's bold move. She pulled back slightly and slid her hand over fair skin, forcing the purple tank top to slowly slide up revealing a blue, purple, and white polka dotted bra. She ran her tongue over the blonde's toned midsection and up through the valley of her breasts, taking time to slide her hand over the material and caress her covered breasts. Both girls were quickly getting frustrated with all of the clothing they still had on.

Santana pulled the cup of Brittany's bra down, swirled her tongue around her areola, and quickly enclosed the pink flesh between her lips "fuh, San."

The Latina made the most of this temporary distraction and swiftly undid the button to Brittany's blue jean shorts and slid her hand over Brittany's barely-there matching polka dotted thong. "Britt baby, you're – "

"I know…" Brittany knew her panties were completely soaked, but she had gotten used to that happening any time she was around Santana.

Or texting Santana.

Or thinking of Santana.

And just knowing that it was no secret how the Latina made her body react caused her heartbeat to increase and her hands to grip firmly on San's ass, pulling their hips closer, seeking any sort of pressure as the coil in her lower abdomen tightened.

The brunette pushed the thong to the side and slipped two fingers through the wet folds, immediately coating her fingers in the salty-sweet juices. She pulled her fingers out and slipped them into her mouth, one-by-one, only stopping to lean forward and swallow the moan of pleasure as it tumbled out of Brittany's mouth.

"I'm coming down the stairs." Santana quickly yanked the blanket off the back of the couch and threw it haphazardly over their bodies. "Please stop whatever activities you're doing long enough for me to get out the door and down to my cab."

Santana noticed Brittany's flushed cheeks and still heaving chest, and with the taste of her still lingering on her own lips, she leaned forward til she was whispering in the other girl's ear, "Britt, I want you so-so bad right now."

Brittany caught the look of desire in Santana's hooded eyes and swiftly picked her up bridal style to take her to the Latina's bedroom. Brittany shot Quinn a cheeky grin as they were passing her on the stairs and stage-whispered so both girls could hear; "now we can do it in Quinn's room and christen the whole place!"

* * *

Brittany rolled over to the sound of her phone beeping to indicate a new text message. She turned over to give Santana a kiss, but was met with cold, empty sheets. Reluctantly she opened her eyes and peered at the clock on Santana's nightstand, 8:33. _It's too early to be awake._

**[Picture] No matter what she tells you Santana loves celebrating her birthday. -Mar**

Brittany quickly saved the picture from Maribel to her phone before opening it back up to take a closer look. "Oh my god." There, in a pink dress full of frills and ruffles of lace and bedazzled jewels, was a young looking Santana. She had to have been no more than three or four when the picture was taken, but she was all cheeks, signature dimple popping, and a big bright smile taking over her face.

**Maribel thats soooo perfect! Thank u! -B**

**Any time sweetheart. – Mar **

Brittany stretched her arms above her head and wiggled her toes trying to wake her aching muscles. Aching because she and Santana had fallen asleep around four a.m. after many, many rounds of glorious sex. She swung her legs over the bed, intent on investigating the smell of bacon and maple syrup coming from downstairs, when she saw a little yellow sticky note laying on the pillow that Santana had been sleeping on.

_Mirror, Mirror, on the wall…_

_Come find my twin down the hall._

_XOXO_

If Santana could have seen the smile that rivaled the sun in its brightness, she would have been proud. She had spent a good ten minutes that morning trying to come up with something cute to write on the note.

Brittany jumped out of bed and ran over to Santana's mirror, before she reread the note and scrunched her brows and tapped her forehead. She quickly ran down the hallway and into the bathroom. She looked all over, but there wasn't anything near the mirrors in there either. Finally she walked in to her bedroom, noticing a single sunflower resting on her dresser and a sticky note resting on the mirror above it. There was a little arrow drawn next to the words:

_Wear this and be ready for some fun. _

_Pick you up 3 _

_XOXO_

Brittany picked up the flower, allowing her nose to take in its earthy scent, and looked at the dress Santana had draped on a hanger near the mirror. Brittany had never seen the sundress before, but based on its baby blue color she figured the Latina has picked it out especially for her.

"Ah, I see you got the message." Quinn looked over at Brittany walking through the kitchen. She was still holding on to the single sunflower and had a dreamy look on her face. Brittany looked up, seemingly just realizing she needed to answer Quinn, and nodded. "Well pancakes and bacon are almost ready. Santana said you'd probably be hungry when you woke up, and considering the huge ass hickey on her neck and the similar bruising on your neck, I'd say she was right."

Brittany immediately flushed, but made no move to cover her neck. That bruise was there because she had an amazing time last night with her, hopefully soon-to-be, girlfriend. "Yeah, we worked up an appetite into the early hours of the morning."

"Sick, that's too much info, B. It's bad enough I had to walk in on you two, again. That's like the third time this week. And I've lost track of how many times it's happened over the summer. You guys are like bunnies!"

"I love my sweet, sweet lady kisses. Sorry slash not sorry."

Quinn rolled her eyes, there was no point in continuing that conversation, if anything it would just lead to more of an over share. "Hey Q, where is San? It's too early on a Sunday to be out of bed."

"San's always up this early on Sunday's, but I've never asked her why. She left when I got home and didn't say where she was going, only that you would be hungry, not to touch the flowers, and that she'd be back to pick you up for your date."

**San whered u go? –B **

"But that's like millions of hours away." Brittany grabbed the vase from the middle of the table and inspected it closely. There were more sunflowers, little flowers that looked like white baby sunflowers, and orange-ish looking lilies. It was absolutely beautiful.

"Who knows, maybe she's in the library studying or the music lab working on her portfolio. Mercedes usually goes in on weekends to work on hers too."

Brittany nodded, "Maribel sent me a pic to use this morning. It's so cute!" Quinn leaned over to look at the blonde's phone screen.

"Oh my god, she's going to kill you." Quinn laughed and high-fived Britt. Santana would be pissed if anyone else pulled this little surprise, but because it was Brittany's plan Quinn knew the Latina wouldn't get mad or stay mad for too long.

"Quinn are you sure San is gonna like that for her birthday?"

"Britt, San doesn't care about money, she probably wouldn't care if you didn't get her anything as long as you're there with her"

The taller blonde took another bite of her pancakes and contemplated how the presents could be received. Santana could be angry or embarrassed, which would be the worst-case scenario. She could feel indifferent or not understand the meaning, which wouldn't be the worst, but it would stick suck majorly. Or she could be ecstatic and giddy, much like Brittany was when she came up with the idea.

"Are you excited about what you got Puck?"

"Yeah, but I'm nervous, what if he thinks it's too soon?"

"He's gonna love it, Q. And if he doesn't I'll take it and you can get him a gift card or something."

"Britt, you can't just take plane tickets. I've already booked them in our names."

"Well, I wouldn't need to anyways because he's going to love it! And I'm extremely jealous you get to go home and see your family with your boyfriend."

"You know San would go with you if you asked her to."

"Yeah, but she's not even my girlfriend yet. It would be way too soon to take her there. Besides, the next time I go home will be for Thanksgiving and I don't want her to come then."

Quinn looks at her friend and notices the sadness that takes over her eyes, "I can't believe it's been almost four years."

"Yeah, I miss him every day. And it's tough not being able to sit by his 'stone when I just want to be near him. We're gonna go visit together over thanksgiving break since I won't be there the actual day."

Quinn nods and wraps Brittany's hand in hers. "You know I'm here if you ever want to talk, right?"

Brittany offers her a weak smile, "thanks Q, I know."

* * *

Santana was standing in a dimly lit room, trying not to gag at the sickly smell of urine, mothballs, and three week old milk. Her face could barely be seen underneath her dust mask and protective eyewear.

"Santana, will you give your sledge hammer to Troy? There's a guy at the front desk asking to speak to someone in charge." Santana handed the teenage boy her sledgehammer and walked towards the front of the room.

"Did he say what he was here for?" When the middle-aged man shook his head, she patted him on the shoulder, "Eric, don't let the boys do too much. I was having fun tearing stuff apart."

Throwing her leather gloves onto the counter she lifted her eyewear and slid her mask down. She was covered in light sweat and dust.

The salt-n-pepper haired gentleman at the counter looked her over head-to-toe before a huge grin spread across his face. "I didn't think it was true, but here I am proven wrong. Nice to see you again Santana."

"Uncle Marco! What're you doing here? And how the hell did you know I'd be here?"

He laughed at her and scooped her in for a hug. When Santana struggled the get out of his grip, claiming he would get himself dirty, he just squeezed her tighter. "I'm just flying through on business, you know how it goes. I called your papi to see where you lived, but he told me I would probably find you here instead."

Santana nodded her head and laughed at the man she hadn't seen in over a year. He had taken a consulting position with a large pharmaceutical company and had immediately been sent overseas for a project.

"So how long do you have to go on the renovations and what is this place? Nico wouldn't tell me anything about it."

"Yeah, well he wasn't supposed to know anything about it himself, but you know how he is. Plus, I needed some advice and he's the smartest guy I know." Marco put his hand over his heart and feigned hurt.

"Well, I'll let that slide this one time. If you need any advice you can come to me too."

She nodded and then immediately grabbed his arm, "actually, would you be willing to talk to a few people here? They're in the medical field and we need to find a few companies and hospitals to partner with us."

"I'll talk to them on one condition: you've gotta tell me a little more about what's going on here." Seeing Santana's 'thinking face' he amended his statement, "don't worry, I won't tell anyone what you're doing as long as it's legal and you're not in danger."

"Marco you're an idiot if you think I'd be involved in anything illegal. Let me tell the guys I'm taking a break and we can go grab coffee and something for breakfast. I'm starving."

After she was done brushing the dirt and dust off of her clothes, she washed her hands and face. She threw on her jacket and fished her phone out of the pocket.

**San whered u go? –B **

**Hey Britt, I'm working on some stuff at school. Make sure you're ready at 3 :) –S **

Santana hated the thought of lying to Brittany, but she wanted to keep her involvement in this project as low key as possible. No one knew what she was doing except for her dad and now her uncle Marco. Puck didn't even have a clue, but that's probably due more to the fact that he rarely wakes up before 7 am.

"Alright missy, what's going on?"

They sat down at the booth sipping on their drinks and San eating a croissant sandwich. She started from the beginning, telling him what it was like when she first moved to New York and how she had seen so much of the city life that it had changed her perspective. After she started taking projects with Quinn, the blonde showed her more of her side photography work. She knew that with Quinn majoring in photography and graphic design that the blonde had a keen eye for taking viewers into her world.

What she didn't realize was how troubling that world could be. "The first pictures she showed me were all fluffy and lovey and full of life and hope. But then I saw a few from a project she was doing on the homeless. She had pictures of kids and parents huddled by fires in the winter, wearing something that could barely be considered clothing." Santana took a deep breath, the image of the little boy that reminded her so much of Benji was permanently etched in her minds eye. "It took me a while to find this building, but over the last year I was able to get a group of people together who have a passion for helping the homeless."

Marco looked at his niece and couldn't believe the woman she had grown to become. High School was rough for her, dealing with people who tried to use her for her family connections and money. At one point her feared she would allow it to make her become cold and calloused, but it seemed as though his fears were unwarranted.

"So, where do I come in to this plan?"

"Eric, the guy you saw earlier, is a doctor who has his own family practice. Him and his sons, Troy and Jake, have been helping me get others involved. We've had a few volunteers come in for the demolition and renovations, and there are more groups signed up in the next few weeks. But what I'm having trouble with is getting people that are able to help with basic medication needs. Summer is ending and flu season will be here before we know it."

Marco nodded, that was where he thought the conversation was going. They continued to talk over the remainder of the meal before he told Santana he had to leave to catch his flight on time.

"I'll keep in touch, I think I have a few people that might be able to offer some insight into what we can do."

"Gracias Tio. It means the world to me that you're willing to help me out. But you better not tell anyone else. I will hunt you down if I find out you've let the beans spill."

* * *

"B, can you get the door? I have glaze all over my hands." Brittany looked up from the bathroom mirror. She had just finished applying a light layer of makeup to accent the baby blue dress and make her lips pop. She grabbed her phone off the counter, slipped her white sandals on, and shuffled past Quinn. "B you look great! San sure does know how to pick clothes, maybe she should be the one to take Berry shopping."

Brittany laughed and made her way downstairs to the person still knocking lightly on the door.

"Well hey there pretty lady."

Santana was standing in the hallway, waiting patiently for Brittany to come to the door. She had arrived a few minutes before 3 and text'd Quinn to tell Britt to get the door. Crazy or not, she wanted this to feel like a special date. Like she had to drive across town to pick her girl up. So she purposefully stayed away all day, first the community shelter project, then to Puck's to shower and change clothes. He didn't even notice since was gone all afternoon working at Slay.

"What're you doing? Did you forget your key?" The blonde's eyes roamed over Santana. She was wearing a pair of white Sperry's, blue skinny jeans, and a baby blue and white-stripped plunging neckline blouse under a navy blue trim-fit blazer. Her hair was pulled back into a messy bun, with little wisps of hair framing her face.

"Can't a girl knock on her own door, and present a pretty lady with a bouquet of flowers?" She pulled out an array of bundled wildflowers from behind her back.

The blush that covered Brittany's cheeks was well worth the planning it took to make this date happen. Santana and Brittany had been so busy with work and school lately that they rarely had a real date. They would watch movies in each other's rooms and occasionally grab takeout, but Santana hadn't been able to really romance her like she wanted to. Plus, this was the first time they were going out on a date since San had her little emotional breakdown about her feelings. She wanted to prove to Brittany that she was ready for the next step, and if everything went according to plan, she was going to ask the blonde to be her girlfriend.

"What are you smiling at?" Brittany had taken the flowers from Santana and noticed the dorky grin covering the other girl's face.

"Nothing, Ms. Pierce, nothing at all. Now, I do believe those should go in some water before we leave."

Britt turned around and saw Quinn standing in the foyer with her hand held out, "you two kids run a long. I'll make sure these get in water."

Santana grabbed Brittany's hand and led them towards the front door before Britt turned to look back over her shoulder, "Quinnie, don't wait up."

"Actually, you might just want to stay at Puck's tonight." Santana smirked and pulled them tout the door.

"Those two are gonna make me need therapy."

* * *

"San, I feel like the luckiest girl in the world." Santana chanced a glance to the passenger seat where Brittany was eating her box of DOTS and sipping on her bottle of Dr. Pepper.

She had grabbed the treats for Brittany and set them in a seat as a present for the blonde. "Yeah? Why's that?"

"Every box of dots I've gotten has no lemon flavored ones. You remember me telling you how much I hate those?" Santana nodded, of course she remembered. She remembers everything there is to know about the blonde. That's one of the reasons she's been stealthily removing every lemon DOT from Britt's boxes before the blonde even opens them. It's a trick she learned living in a house of boys that liked to steal her candy. One time she replaced her chocolate covered peanuts with chocolate covered crickets and waited til she caught Puck and Benji eating them before she spilled her little secret.

"Really? You are amazing and deserve the best."

"Ahh San, I love this song!" Brittany reached forward and turned the volume knob up.

_Hey hey hey hey_

_If you can't hear what I'm trying to say_

_If you can't read from the same page_

Santana laughed out loud as Brittany shrugged her shoulders to the beat. "You just can't stay still can you?"

_Maybe I'm going deaf_

_Maybe I'm going blind_

_Maybe I'm out of my mind_

Brittany was moving around the seat and owning it like it was her personal dance floor. She did the dougie- well, the best she could while sitting. Finally turning in her seat and running her index finger over Santana's blazer, she began to sing along with the radio.

_What do they make dreams for_

_When you got them jeans on_

_What do we need steam for_

_You the hottest bitch in this place_

_I feel so lucky, you wanna hug me_

Santana tried to focus on the road; they were close to reaching their destination. "You're too damn cute, and so distracting."

* * *

Santana and Brittany were lying on top of the hood of Santana's car. The Latina appeared calm on the outside, but she was starting to freak out. The evening had gone off without a hitch: Brittany loved the picnic on the pier and was pleasantly surprised when they walked to the aquarium. They spent the rest of the evening walking around looking at the different forms of sea life. Santana had to remember to thank Quinn for the suggestion.

They were headed back to the apartment when Britt asked if they could pull over near the water. Which is why they ended up on the hood, leaning back listening to the waves crash on the shore and looking at the stars twinkling in the sky. Well, the stars they could see. The slightly hazy sky, whether from smog or clouds, made it difficult to point out constellations, but they could still see a few of the brightest stars.

"San, you're amazing. Seriously amazing. I've never felt this way with anyone else." She turned to look into curious mocha eyes. "When I'm near you I lose all focus and can only see you. When you laugh or sing it's like I'm hearing what angels sound like. When we touch I feel sparks shoot all through my body. And when I'm in your arms, there's no other place I'd rather be. I want to be yours and I want you to be mine."

Santana gripped Brittany's hand tighter as the words rang through her ears. It made her heart speed up like she was running a marathon. "Britt, you're the amazing one. I literally count the number of times you smile at me and die on the days we don't get to see each other. I feel like you're the part of me that's been missing, the piece that no one else and nothing else has been able to fill. I don't know how or why you feel the way you do about me, but I will sing to you and touch you and hold you in my arms for as long as you'll have me."

"So, that's a yes?"

Santana nodded her head, "Yep, you're mine."

"Proudly so." Brittany whispered as she let her eyes linger on Santana's lips and scooted her body closer.

Santana quickly closed the distance and kissed her soundly on the mouth. The kisses were soft and smooth, and Santana relished in the feeling of kissing her _girlfriend_. She smiled into the kiss and felt Brittany's lips upturn as well.

"Do you feel that?"

Brittany worried that Santana might be talking about the way her heart was pounding in her chest, but quickly dismissed that when she felt tiny droplets of water on her shoulders.

Santana quickly moved to the driver side door to jump in when she had a momentary lapse of free will. Everything in her body forced her to stop and look at the blonde standing in front of the cars headlights. Brittany was twirling in the rain, her hair starting to fall out of her French braid, with her head facing the sky and her mouth opened wide catch the falling warm summer raindrops. As if she could feel the Latina's gaze on her, she looked up and smirked while she beckoned her closer—with her finger and her eyes. "Come dance with me."

"You're lucky you're my girlfriend. I wouldn't subject my hair to this if you weren't so damn amazing." She leaned forward and pressed her lips into the blonde's. They stayed that way, chest to chest, hand in hand, twirling to an imaginary beat.

When Brittany started to shiver from the wetness, Santana kissed her hand and led her to the passenger side door, "C'mon let's get you home before you get sick."


	12. Birthday Cake

A/N: A big thanks to StephaniieC for her help with my poor Spanish and also to all of you lovelies still out there reading and reviewing. Also, I own nothing but the thoughts in my head.

Chapter 12: Birthday Cake

* * *

Why are feelings hard to talk about? Not the 'I'm angry so I'm going to yell' or 'I like it when you hold my hand' feelings. That's just expressing simple emotions: like and dislike. They're black and white. What about emotions that fall along a spectrum of variability? Things like fear? Life dreams? Love? What makes _really_ talking about those things so damn difficult? It's delusional to think that things don't exist until they're acknowledged, but it happens. Maybe it's a survival technique: something learned over the course of life's ups and downs that keeps us feeling safe in our own little bubble –even if it is a false sense of security.

* * *

Brittany rolled over towards the warmth radiating next to her. Santana was seriously like a furnace. She could be in nothing but panties and still have heat emanating from her like she was on fire. Brittany's arm lightly draped across Santana's midsection and she smiled at the feeling of the tan, tone midsection slightly contracting from her touch.

The blonde opened her eyes and took in the beauty in front of her. Santana was laying with her back pressed into Brittany's front, her hair was splayed across her pillow, and the sheet was barely covering her—giving Brittany a show of her barely covered breasts and open exposed back. She ran her hand across the edge of the sheet, playing with the fabric to keep her hands from roaming onto the sleeping beauty, but Santana moved in her sleep and let out a raspy moan immediately sending Britt's heart racing and dirty thoughts invading her mind.

"Right there…" Santana moaned lowly in her sleep. She wasn't aware of the blonde laying next to her trying to contain her own moans. Brittany was being tortured and she wanted nothing more than to know exactly what the Latina was dreaming about.

She allowed her hand to slip under the sheets and lightly graze over Santana's hipbones. Her thumbs slowly circling the area. She leaned forward and placed a kiss on a tan shoulder, allowing herself to inhale the minty-berry smell of Santana's shampoo. She could wake up to this every morning. Every day with Santana is like the best day ever. It doesn't matter to her if they're out to dinner or making a mess in the kitchen, walking in the park or shopping at the mall. Just spending time with Santana enough for her.

Santana starts to move with _purpose_, and even though she's still sleeping, Brittany is having a really difficult time deciding whether to roll over and take care of her own growing desire or to wake the Latina up in a way that would be enticing for them both. Santana's hips push back into Brittany's center in the most delicious way and a moan tumbles from her lips at the contact. Her hands immediately grip on the tan hips and her head drops to Santana's shoulder. She takes a moment to kiss all of the visible skin. Slowly working her way from San's shoulder blades over to her spine. The little hairs on her back and neck stand up on end as another moan tumbles from the sleeping girl's lips.

Brittany allows her hands to move, tracing small patterns up and down Santana's arms and slipping her hand under the sheet once again. She kisses up her spine to the base of her neck, using her lips to lightly kiss then suck all across her sweet skin leaving little love marks in her wake. The hand that's been lightly grazing Santana's abs comes into contact with slightly more supple flesh and Brittany's body shudders before she can stop it.

She runs her fingertips beneath full breasts and she swears she can hear Santana's breathe catch, but no other sound or movement. The tightness in her lower abdomen increases tenfold when Santana's own hand snakes down the front of the sheets and rests against the apex of her thigh and waist. Brittany shifts so she's resting on her forearm and has a better view of what's going on.

"Are you just gonna lay there or…"

Brittany slightly startles at Santana's voice. "W-what? When did you wake up?"

Santana turns in bed so that she's finally facing her girlfriend. A smile slipping on to her face as she sees Brittany's bright, well slightly darker, blue eyes staring back at her. Her body gravitates towards the blonde, intertwining their legs and bringing one hand to the back on Britt's neck. She pulls her in slowly, and just as their lips are about to touch, she shifts her head to the side and whispers hotly into Brittany's ear, "Since you first ran your fingertips along the underside of my boobs."

Brittany visibly flushes, but doesn't try to deny being caught. "I couldn't help it. Your moaning was so damn hypnotizing and the 'neathage' was too inviting."

"I'm not complaining, it's definitely the best way to wake up. Now," Santana slowly pulled the sheet to the side and slips her hand between their bodies, "can we get back to where we were?"

"Tus deseos son ordenes, birthday girl…" Brittany smirked at the flash of arousal behind the Latina's eyes. Brittany doesn't know much Spanish, but she's picked up a few things. Mostly dirty things. And Santana can't get enough of hearing her speak it.

"My every wish is your command? You must be my birthday genie." Santana pulled Brittany impossibly closer; making it hard to tell where one of them ends and the other begins. "My first wish is for you to be out of that shirt."

Brittany quickly kneels and yanks her coke t-shirt over her head before maneuvering her way in between Santana's legs. She slowly slides the sheet down, her breath catching as each inch of tan skin becomes more and more exposed. When the sheet grazes over slightly erect nipples, Santana moans at the light rubbing that causes Brittany's lower abdomen to clench in response.

Tan hands grasp on to Brittany as she lowers her mouth over one of the Latina's nipples and cups the other breast firmly, lightly pinching the other nipple in the process. Santana's nails start to leave little crescent moons on the back of freckled shoulders when Brittany bites her nipple a little harder than expected, but completely enjoyable.

Santana wraps her olive legs around a creamy waste and Brittany thinks this must be what a human swirl cone would look like. "Baby, I need more… touch me…"

Brittany smiles at the raspy demand, but makes no move to go faster. She drops one hand to her girlfriend's firm ass, the other hand ghosts over one of her erect peaks, and her mouth latches on to the side of her other breast, sucking and squeezing them all simultaneously. Santana's back arches off the bed and another low deep moan comes tumbling from her mouth.

"F-Fuck me, Britt." Santana was getting restless waiting for Brittany to touch her in the way her body was long for. Every time she would buck her hips, Brittany would raise hers to limit contact.

Brittany would swear someone in the apartment is messing with the heat, but she knows it's everything Santana is doing to her. Her skin is on fire everywhere their bodies meet and she can barely contain her need to touch her girlfriend. She's quite literally aching for her touch, but right now isn't about her needs, it's about making the birthday girl's wish come true.

Santana slides her hand across Brittany's abdomen to the apex of her thighs and waist, hoping that if she makes the first move then maybe Brittany would follow suit. She was wrong.

Brittany grabs Santana's hands and puts them both above her head, using one hand to hold them in place. She takes her free hand and outlines the contours of Santana's body before slowly spreading her girlfriend's legs farther apart. The glistening sex and heady aroma that invades her senses is almost enough to make Brittany give in, but she wants this moment to last forever.

Or until Santana starts screaming her name.

Whichever comes first.

Santana's wet, she can hear it and she can feel it every time Brittany's fingers run through her folds. A strangled moan escapes her lips as two long fingers rub over her clit before circling her entrance slowly and pulling away yet again. Brittany's pace is torturously slow and Santana knows she's at her mercy.

"I don't care what other things you have planned to tease me. I need you. Inside me. Now."

Before she can fully finish her sentence, Brittany plunges one finger into Santana before immediately pulling it back out. She leans down and covers the groan tumbling from the Latina's mouth, while simultaneously inserting two fingers to the hilt. Brittany's eyes roll to the back of her head, succumbing to the feeling of her girlfriend being so tight.

Santana begins rocking to the rhythmic beat they've set, guiding her hips to meet the palm of her lover. She can barely contain herself as she hears the wet slapping sounds reverberating between their bodies. Brittany's quickly coming to her tipping point as well, and without much thought her body begins to move on its own. Her hips thrust forward with her hand, sending jolts of pleasure through both of their bodies as if their bodies are one.

"Fuck, Britt. I'm gonna.. I'm s-so close."

Brittany picks up her pace, sweat slowly dripping down her back. Santana grips the back of Brittany's neck and pulls her down into a bruising kiss. Their lips moving to the own accord, their own rhythm, but never throwing their bodies off beat.

Brittany can feel Santana's walls pulsating, and the tan fingers pulling at the blonde hair along her own neck are a clear sign the Latina's close. She knows what Santana's waiting for and she's drawing it out til the very last minute. Brittany pulls both fingers out, and before Santana can voice her complaint, she's filled again with three fingers.

Brittany takes in the appearance of the girl in front of her: back arched, thighs shaking, and her eyes squeezed shut. There's nothing more beautiful to her, "baby, open your eyes." When Santana makes no move to open them, she bites down on her tan shoulder forcing the Latina's attention back to her.

Brittany slides her thumb over Santana's clit while maintaining her steady thrusts and just as Santana's legs begin to shake violently, she curls her fingertips and presses into the spot that always makes her girlfriend weak. Santana's eyes flutter open and connect with cerulean blues, both full of longing and desire and passion. The sight makes Brittany orgasm first, her mouth dropping open and eyes rolling to the back of her head as the shudders temporarily take over. "Vente conmigo…"

Santana tries to force her eyes to stay open, to soak in every little freckle and stray hair of the girl above her that's writhing in pleasure, but the sound of Brittany speaking Spanish and the intensity of her own orgasm forces her eyes closed as a muffled whisper flies out of her mouth. "Creo que te amo…"

* * *

"Hey mom! Where are Sophie and Stephan?" Brittany is sitting on her bed facing the door while looking at her laptop screen. For a mom of four, two of which are in their twenties, she looks really good for her age. She has light blonde hair with strands of grey sneaking their way in and blue eyes that are slightly lighter than Brittany's.

"You look good, you're positively glowing! The twins had a sleepover at one of their friends' houses. I need to go pick them up soon. Has Santana seen her gift yet? I bet she'll love it."

"Shhh! Don't say anything about her present- she could be around here somewhere."

Brittany left Santana in the shower to skype with her mom. They normally skpyed in the evening, but since it's a holiday they decided to push it to morning on the west coast.

"Well, when do I get to meet her? I've chatted with you and Quinn and I even had a conversation with that Noah boy. Are you sure she's real?"

Brittany rolled her eyes. Every chance she gets, her mom always asks to speak to Santana. But Santana is usually working at Slay or in class or at the studio with Mercedes or out on an interview with Quinn. And then there were the few times when she had to go to the bathroom or she got a phone call and had to take it.

"Yes mom, I'm positive she's real. She's just in the shower. Her parents and brother are on their way over."

"Well, tell her I said happy birthday and hopefully I'll get to meet her soon. I love you, squeak!"

Brittany rolled her eyes at the nickname she would never grow out of.

"Bye mom, I love you too!"

* * *

Walking in to the kitchen Brittany was overwhelmed with the most amazing aroma ever. Quinn and Maribel were by the stove preparing whatever the delicious smell was. Santana was cutting fruit and making yogurt dip to take to the mancave; which is where Nicolas, Noah, and Benji were. Something about football or baseball or something dealing with sports that Brittany could care less about… she can't focus on anything when Santana is standing there in white jeans, blue Superman tank top (that just so happened to show her incredible boobs off), and Chicago Cubs baseball cap.

"Hey mami, Quinn, my gorgeous _girlfriend_ is finally ready!" Santana walked over to the blonde and wrapped her arms around her waist. "I've missed you."

Brittany looked down into deep brown eyes, leaning in for a chaste kiss. "You could've come to my room, silly. I was just talking to my mom."

Maribel was looking at the interaction between the two and noticed her daughter's slight shift and panicked look on her face, "Hey Brittany, dear, how would you like to learn how to make empanadas? They're one of your _girlfriend's_ favorites."

Santana leaned in for a quick kiss before turning back to the fruit. "Yeah, _girlfriend_, you should learn to make those. Then we can stop ordering takeout since Quinn can't stop burning everything."

"One time, Santana. One time! And now I just can't seem to live it down."

"Quinn, you burned water! How that happens, no one knows, not even the fire department. We couldn't get that burnt pan smell out for soooooo long. Thank god we weren't in this place or else I'd have killed you."

"'Tana, hurry your a-butt out here!" Puck yelled as he was passing through the living room.

Santana finished cutting and plating the fruit, before turning towards the stove. She walked over to Brittany and slowly tugged her away from the other two women in the room.

"Hey _girlfriend_, will you taste this and tell me if it's missing something?" Santana dipped a strawberry into the bowl of fruit dip and slowly brought it to Brittany's lips; brown eyes never leaving blue. She watched Brittany open her slightly puckered lips and her tongue slip out and swirl the tip of the juicy red fruit.

The blonde took a little bite and moaned at the sweet tangy taste, "yum, it's so good."

Santana leaned forward, focused on the dollop of dip on the corner of Brittany's mouth, and swiped her tongue across the blonde's lips. "Tu sabor es major." She winked and walked away, leaving Brittany to stew in her own devilish thoughts.

* * *

"Dude, you love her. Just admit it." Puck ran his hand over his head and sighed. He had called Santana out to the roof while the girls were still in the kitchen and Benji and Nicolas made a run to the store.

"Shut up. You have no idea what you're talking about. She's only been my girlfriend for like a week."

"Doesn't matter 'Tana, you love her. The sooner you realize it the better."

Santana turned away from the skyline and set Puck with a glare. "Yeah? Well what about you and Quinn? I know for a fact that you're head over heels for her and yet you're too much of a chicken shit to say anything. So take your own damn advice. Because if you want to preach this shit at me, but not follow your own advice, you've got another thing coming."

"San, fate has given you signs, and you're ignoring them because you're afraid. You can try to point your finger at me and point out all of the flaws you see, but it doesn't change what's going on in your own damn life. You have a great girl, but you're so damn stubborn that you're willing to ignore your heart in favor of your mind. Decide what's more important to you, keeping your pride and getting nothing, or taking a risk and maybe having everything. For once San, just stop thinking things over a million times and go with what you feel."

"Yeah, because that's never gotten me in trouble before." She stopped pacing and crossed her arms over her chest. "Look, I don't want to keep talking about this. Not here, not now. Just drop it."

* * *

Nicolas and Benji had returned from the store a little over an hour before dinner was served, and the only thing they had accomplished was sitting in front of the TV with Puck and Santana to watch a preseason game between the Bears and Chargers.

"That was a good game, but the Bears will need to step it up if they plan on winning the superbowl this year." Nicolas was adamant that the Bears would be in the championship game to redeem themselves from the years of poor coaching and playing.

"I dunno Papi, throwing a rookie in to such a vital position is gonna be a tough one to get over. Sure, Andrew Luck pulled it together for the Colts a few years back, but even he couldn't take them to the superbowl. I just hope this new guy can lead the team well so maybe I can brag to all my Jets and Giants friends."

Maribel and Brittany were lost in their own conversation, not paying attention to the sports talk going on next to them, and Benji and Puck were eating their food as fast as humanly possible before Maribel stepped in, "boys, give yourself time to properly chew your food. I'm not going to give you're the Heimlich if you choke."

"But mami, I'm ready for the cakes!" The glare Benji received was enough warning for him to slow down.

"What do you mean cakes? Why are we having plural?" Santana was sitting next to Brittany, with her right hand resting on the blonde's lap.

She felt Brittany tense and looked up to see her and Maribel having a silent conversation. She squeezed Brittany's knee to get her attention, "Hey, what's going on?"

"Well, it was supposed to be a surprise, but we got each of you your favorite cakes since we're celebrating your dad's, Puck's, and your birthdays." Santana leaned over and bopped her pouting girlfriend's nose.

"That's really sweet. And I'm glad, because I do not want to share my red velvet!"

Brittany's eyes widened, "Red Velvet? I thought you liked marble cake."

Santana's face dropped. She _hates_ marble cake. She went to a birthday party for one of her cousins when she was younger and they had a marble birthday cake. She spent ten minutes separating the white cake from the chocolate cake. Why mix the two? It's something she's never understood.

"Oh, marble is good too. I like marble." She leaned over and kissed Brittany's lips before moving her mouth to the shell of the blonde's ear, "I want that cake, cake, cake… You wanna put your name on it."

"Well if that's the case, you should know you do have red velvet cake and I plan on saving a piece for you to eat later… as a midnight snack. I wanna lick the icing off."

Santana smirked at Brittany, "I know you wanna bite this… so enticing…" she squeezed Brittany's thigh and ran her finger up closer to her core, "I'mma make you my bitch…"

The blonde swallowed the moan threatening to escape her throat. She looked into mocha brown eyes, her gaze flitting between luscious plump lips and steadily darkening orbs. "It's not even _my_ birthday, but you wanna put your name on it…"

Nicolas, who had noticed the pink shade that Brittany and Santana were both turning, brought the girls out of their whispered conversation. "How about we have some of that cake now?"

"Wanky." Brittany deadpanned before getting up to join Quinn, Benji, and Maribel in the kitchen.

When they came back out singing the birthday song, they set the cakes down in a row as the other three stood to look at each cake. Quinn stood to the side snapping pictures of all of their reactions.

Puck's cake was a Dulce de Leche, tender yellow cake layered with dulce de leche buttercream and drizzled with caramel. Maribel had followed Brittany's lead and decided to have scanned pictures for the two men as well. Puck's picture was of him around nine years old dressed as dinosaur for Halloween. Nicolas' favorite flavor cake was bananas foster, a moist yellow cake layered with ripe bananas sautéed in dark sugar and liqueur and topped with Swiss butter cream. His 70s curly fro and polyester suit picture was making the whole table giggle.

Santana's cake was red velvet chocolate cake layered with Swiss butter cream icing and had the princess picture Maribel sent Brittany scanned on top. "Oh my god!" She turned towards her mother who put her hands up and pointed towards Brittany.

"You did this?" Santana pointed at Brittany, trying to hold back her smile. Brittany just shrugged her shoulders and nodded.

"You know, you've been pretty sneaky lately. Getting pictures from my mom. Finding out my favorite flavor cake," she pulled the blonde closer and whispered, "wearing my favorite red lingerie today…"

Brittany's eyes closed involuntarily as Santana's warm breath flowed across the shell of her ear. Santana smiled deviously as she ran her hand up the back of Brittany's thigh to the bottom of her shorts, forgetting that they were standing in the middle of the dining area with the rest of her family.

"And I can't wait for you to help me take it off later." Brittany husked, finally gaining some of her composure back.

Maribel cleared her throat desperately trying to keep the girls from doing anything in front of them. She had seen the glances and touches and blushes all day. "Do you remember what you said when we asked what you wanted for your birthday that year?"

"Mami, I was 3, of course I don't remember."

"Well, you should, you said it to us all throughout high school… 'Bling. All I want is bling.' Which is exactly why we got you the crown and scepter. You kept that thing, claiming to be royalty, until you _accidentally_ broke it." Maribel rolled her eyes and Brittany laughed at just how similar the action reminded her of Santana. "She thinks she pulled one over on us, but we heard it when you smacked it against Noah's head and said 'bow down, crazy dragon, I'm the Queen.'"

Nicolas chuckled, "To be fair, it was right after her 7th birthday party and we had just come home from Medieval Times."

"Hold on, if you wanna tell embarrassing stories. Let's talk about you guys…" Santana turned towards the rest of the table. "Papi was sitting at the kitchen table at our house in Chicago. You know those junk mail letters that credit card companies, insurance agencies, and phone companies send to you wanting you to sign up for some lame special offer? Well, he decided it would be funny to send each company back their postage-paid envelopes filled with coupons for adult diapers, groceries, oil changes, baby formula… really any coupon that was in the junk mail pile. He said that if they want to send HIM junk mail, he's going to send it right back to them."

Maribel leaned over and gave Nicolas a sweet kiss, "that's my hubby for ya. He was always the cooky one."

"Nope, you don't get to escape this one." Puck turned towards Quinn, "Mama Lo is a horrible driver."

"Hey now…"

"Mami, don't try to deny it." Benji nodded from the side, eating his fourth piece of birthday cake. He had been exceptionally quiet all day.

"Anyways, for her last birthday 'Tana and I go home to visit and Ma decides we should come home before going to Benji's game."

"Puck and I know it's not a good idea, but she's begging us to stop at home first. And since we're the _darling_ children we are, we decided to grant her that one birthday wish." Santana looked saw Benji reaching for her red velvet and quickly snatched it away, putting it in the space in front of her and Brittany. She took her fork and scooped a bite up before turning towards Brittany and feeding her the piece. They had been doing that for each other, and stealing shy glances, and it made something deep inside Santana's chest flutter every time Brittany would peer over at her through her thick lashes.

"Yeah, so 'Tana and I pull up to the house and quickly unload our bags so we can all fit into the car, but when we go back outside Ma is sitting in a new Prius in the driveway. San and I look at each other, trying to decide who's going to drive, but she jangles the keys and tells us to get in."

"Apparently some idiot actually let her pass her driving exam… But I still firmly believe she paid 'em off because as we climb into the car I see she's sitting on like two huge yellowpages phone books and can barely see over the hood."

_FLASHBACK_

_"Let me see your license… Is that thing even real?" Santana leans over and takes the license from Maribel, squinting and moving it to detect the water seal and hologram._

_Maribel shrugs her shoulders, "I think so." _

_"Mama Lo, can you even see?" _

_"I think I must." She pats the phone books and smirks in the direction of Puck, who's sitting in the backseat, looking terrified with his eyes wide open. _

_"Does papi know that you're driving?" _

_Maribel looks over at her daughter with an 'Are you kidding me?' expression plastered on her face._

_"How the hell are you sneaking this by him?" _

_"He's gotta work some time."_

_(end flashback)_

"We knew Pops would kill us if we let her go alone, so we got in and buckled up for dear life. Tana's sitting up front with a death grip on the door handle and I'm in the back trying to use every available safety restraint on myself."

"Yeah but nothing would have prepared us for the hellacious ride to Benji's game. She threw the car in reverse and backed out of the driveway going 60 mph. I couldn't help the way my stomach dropped and I felt like we were on some crazy ass ride at Disney." Santana looks over at Brittany, getting lost in the sight of her beautiful girlfriend laughing and smiling like there's no other place she'd rather be.

"So we're driving and she's whistling along to some satellite Spanish music station while 'Tana and I are praying to every deity known to man. When we finally merge on to I-55,"

"Britt, I-55 is a big interstate that has like 5 lanes." Brittany nods and gives Santana a peck on her lips, silently thanking her for the explanation since she's never been to Chicago. The kiss lingers a little longer when Santana follows her as she tries to pull away.

"You two seriously need to get a room." Quinn rolls her eyes playfully at the two.

"I'm pretty sure we could sneak away real quick if that's what you really want." Santana raised her eyebrow in challenge. See, Quinn has this unfortunate knack of walking in on the two of them in the beginning, middle, and end of sexy times. So she's tried to make herself scarce when she knows they're bound to do something. But lately, that would mean she would have to be gone any time the two of them are home together.

"Anyway, we finally merge on to I-55 and she's switching lanes like it's her day job."

"What? They give you 5 lanes and they expect you to use 'em!"

"Seeing the way she was driving I just knew there was no way she hadn't been pulled over yet. So I get the bright idea to talk to her as a diversion. Plus I thought that it could maybe help my pulse rate slow down. So I say 'Mami, I know you've been stopped by the police.' And she shakes her head defiantly, '_Oh no no Santanita. What're you talking about?_' I couldn't help but laugh at her, 'Are you really expecting me to believe you haven't been stopped?' The silence that followed was comical. I knew she was waiting on me to say something, but I held out. '_Well, I did not get a ticket!_'… I pointed my finger at her 'Aha! I knew it! Spill it, what happened?'"

_FLASHBACK_

_'Well, I was stopped at this light and this guy pulled up behind me. Blue lights flashing in my rear view mirror. He came 'round to my window and told me to roll it down. The whole time I'm thinkin 'Talvez el creerá que soy linda."_

_"Ma, are you really still doing that?" Puck asked from the backseat. He had been surprisingly quiet the entire time, only ever letting little noises out when he was scared they'd be hit by a semi. Maribel has always tried using her charm and good looks to get out of anything she didn't want to do._

_"Hey, baby, if it works it works…" Maribel chuckled at her two kids making a big deal out of nothing. "So I asked him if he speaks Spanish, and wouldn't you know it he did a tour in Honduras and a tour in Spain with the Peace Corps. And then that was it."_

_(end flashback)_

"Wait, what do you mean 'that was it?' What did he say? Why didn't you get a ticket?" Brittany looked between Santana, Maribel, and Noah confused.

"Well I looked up and the light had changed." Quinn and Brittany both gasped in realization. Everyone else at the table sat there slack-jawed at Maribel admitting that she drove off on a cop because the light had changed to green. Santana likes to think that her mom might just be toying with them, but that doesn't erase the fear that she has of riding with her in the car.

* * *

"Santanita! Stop your pouting!" Maribel was chastising her daughter for her attitude at being the last to open presents. "We're going oldest to youngest for opening presents."

Santana mumbled under her breath something that sounded like _but it's my actual birthday_ before Brittany came over to the couch with a wine glass in each of her hands for both of them. She handed one glass to Santana and set the other on the end table while she scooted her way next to the Latina.

Nicolas opened the first huge box that contained a vintage restored vinyl record player and the smaller box that held a bunch of vinyl records. Maribel had thought of the idea after Nicolas had complained about not having any timeless classics in the house. There really is no way Santana could have escaped the music gene. "There are a few oldies and a few new favorites specially recoded from mp3 to vinyl just for you."

Brittany handed over a box wrapped in the comic section from the NY Times.

"Brittany, dear, thank you! I love 'I Love Lucy'!" Brittany smiled a toothy grin at Nicolas. She almost had a nervous breakdown trying to figure out what to get him and Puck for their birthdays, but San had come up with the idea to get them each a gift from both of them. Then she made a list of things they would like and let Britt choose which one to give them. "Told you he would love it." She kissed the blonde on the cheek and went back to sipping her wine while her dad opened his golf apparel from Quinn and Puck.

The same routine happened with Puck. Maribel and Nicolas got him a black Movado Bold watch. Brittany and Santana gave him a black light reactive dartboard for his guest room and 4 tickets to the Bears versus Giants game in October.

"Holy sh-crap! I'm so freakin excited to go to this game! I wonder what three other people I should take." Puck looked between Maribel, Nicolas, and Benji—who were all giving him puppy dog eyes. And then turned his attention to Brittany, who wasn't even looking at him because she was too preoccupied with looking at her girlfriend and playing with her hair. Santana was trying to glare at him, but the smile on her face from lying in Brittany's lap was hindering that. And he finally turned his attention to Quinn, who was snapping pictures.

She leaned over, "If you don't take me to this game I'm withholding …"

Puck cleared his throat; no way he was going to even take his chances on calling Quinn's bluff. He had learned his lesson a few weeks ago that when she threatens to do something, you might as well just believe her. Because she threatened to have him begging for it, and he was by the end of the night. His eyes glazed over, caught up in thoughts of his hot naked girlfriend, before Benji's voice brought him back to the present.

"Damn, what is it with you women? It's like you have these two under some sort of spell."

"Benjamin, watch your language! It's not a spell, it's called love."

Puck chanced a glance at Santana, noticing she had closed her eyes and seemed relaxed, and breathed a sigh of relief thinking she may not have heard the forbidden 'l word'.

"Holy crap Quinn! Plane tickets to San Diego and new picks for my guitar? You're like the best ever!" Puck leaned over and kissed Quinn on the lips.

Santana shot up and held her hands out in a 'gimme gimme' motion. "Now it's my turn!"

"Here's your bling, princess." Santana opened the diamond bracelet and matching diamond earrings from her parents and hugged them each. She really does love her some bling. Not all the time, and not for everything, but it's a surefire present to get her if no other ideas come to mind.

Quinn and Puck got her aromatherapy candles and four concert tickets to see Beyonce. "And, this Quinn, is why you're amazing! This gift has your name written all over it."

Puck crossed his arms over his chest, "Hey! I helped pick it out too. She wanted to get lavender, but I know you hate that smell!"

"Sorry, sorry… Thank you, Noah." She rolled her eyes and playfully winked in his direction.

Brittany bit her lip. It was time for her presents to be opened. Quinn had assured her multiple times throughout the day, and weeks leading up to it, that Santana would love her presents, but she was still really nervous. She's heard all day about how much Santana likes bling, but nothing that she got her could be considered remotely close to being bling or being expensive.

"Hey, can I open yours now?" Santana looked over at her girlfriend, but quickly noticed the unsure look on her face. Brittany looked at Quinn, who gave her a slight nod and thumbs up, before turning back towards Santana with two small wrapped presents in her hand.

The Latina took the presents and leaned in to whisper in brittany's ear, "Babe, I'm sure I'm gonna love whatever this is. Don't look so scared. Unless there's a reason to be scared… did you get that toy we were looking at the other day? Should I open these in front of my family?" Santana went from perfectly happy and confident to immediately panicking that she might open up a strap-on in front of her parents and brother.

Brittany squeezed Santana's hand, "it's okay babe… these are perfectly PG presents." She didn't miss the flash of disappointment behind Santana's brown eyes. Hmmm, at least now she knows Santana was being serious about wanting to buy it.

"Here, this one first… This could be considered a present from Quinn more than from me, but she insisted that I give it to you or else you'd call her a creeper." Brittany winked at Quinn who flipped her off playfully.

Santana slowly slid out a picture of herself and Brittany cuddled on her bed. "When was this?"

"The first night that B got in town and we all went to the club you guys disappeared in the middle of the night and I went looking for Britt because Puck made me think she could have been locked on the roof or something. When I didn't find her anywhere I checked your room, and ta-da! The first picture of you two together was captured."

"Well, that does make you a creeper, but for once I'm glad."

Santana slowly unwrapped the second box and pulled out a wooden frame composed of 5 different boxes. There was a little duck next to a heart with a Monkeh on the other side painted and glued to the frame. Each box contained a picture: a close-up of San and Britt's hands holding their pinkies, the heart and 'check yes or no' writing on the beach, San and Britt cuddled by the bonfire from their weekend at Montauk, and a candid of them making funny faces at Quinn on the train. The last picture box was empty, but Santana quickly ran upstairs leaving the rest of the group confused.

"Do you think she hated it?" Brittany asked Quinn, worry evident all over her face.

"No Britt-Britt, I love it. You're the most thoughtful and awesome girlfriend ever. I just wanted to get this to put in the last empty box." Santana rushed back down the stairs, completely out of breath, and slid the picture of Britt kissing the duckling's head from their first date.

"Gosh you two are disgusting! Can we have less eye sex and more present opening?" Benji huffed, "If not, I'm gonna go claim the rest of the cake for myself."

"San can unwrap her last present, but I don't think you guys will want to be around for that." Brittany licked her lips slowly, noting the way Santana's eyes followed the movement. She also noticed how quickly Santana sat up and crossed her thighs, probably trying to contain the heat undoubtedly surging there.

"What else is there? I think we've opened everything." Puck ignored the obviously sexual comment and looked around the living room before noticing four boxes sitting on the floor next to Benji.

"Well, the presents that you two were going to get from Benji ended up being exactly the same. At first Mari and I laughed, but he quickly made us realize how great of an idea it was. So here…"

Nicolas passed the four boxes to Santana and Puck. They opened them at the same time and noticed they had each received two Bears football jerseys and matching blue and orange Nike Shox.

Santana held up her two jerseys and noticed they were exactly the same. Same blue color. Same jersey number. "Umm, not to seem ungrateful, but why did you get me two of the exact same jersey?"

"Because we knew that when you bought Noah his tickets that he would take the three of you and that all of you would probably need new jerseys." Maribel answered, still sipping on a fresh cup of coffee.

Nicolas turned towards the group and pointed at Quinn and Brittany. "I don't care that you're from Cali, and I don't care if you like the Chargers or some other lame team, there is something you need to know. This is a football family. And in this family we love the Bears."

Puck and San shared a look when 'in this family we love the Bears' was uttered, both too lost in their own silent freak-out to notice the blonde's next to them smiling brighter than before.

* * *

As soon as the words are spoken, as soon as all pretense and façade is wiped away, that's when the weight of the situation is fully realized. But what if the signs are there for a reason. Does ignoring them make you a coward?

_Translations:_

_Tus deseos son ordenes: Your wish is my command_

_Vente conmigo: Come with me_

_Creo que te amo: I think I love you_

_Tu sabor es major: You taste better_

_Talvez el creerá que soy Linda: Maybe he'll think I'm cute._


	13. Acquainted With the Night

**A/N: I own nothing but these thoughts in my head. Neither Glee nor Robert Frost belongs to me.**

* * *

Chapter 13: Acquainted With the Night

I have been one acquainted with the night.

I have walked out in rain—and back in rain.

I have outwalked the furthest city light.

I have looked down the saddest city lane.

I have passed by the watchman on his beat

And dropped my eyes, unwilling to explain.

I have stood still and stopped the sound of feet

When far away an interrupted cry

Came over houses from another street,

But not to call me back or say good-bye;

Proclaimed the time was neither wrong nor right.

I have been one acquainted with the night.

* * *

_Brittany smiles at the birds chirping in the distance._

_The sun is shining bright in the high noon sky without a cloud blocking its rays. Brittany treks her way up the hillside; she hasn't been to the lookout in a while, but today is just too beautiful of a day to pass it up._

_She stops halfway up the path and reaches into her daypack for her water. She feels the cool leather of her journal, soft and worn after so many years of use as she brushes past it to get to the plastic bottle. She really should invest in a Camelbak like her friends keep telling her._

_"Squeak ya better hurry up! I'm getting hungry. I just might eat all the food before you get up here."_

_Brittany looked up at the ledge above her where the deep masculine voice was coming from. "Dad, you wouldn't eat it all. That would be mean."_

_Daniel Sr. smiles down at his daughter, similar bright blue eyes staring back up at him, "that's true darlin', but I am hungry and these no bake cookies are callin' my name."_

_Brittany rushes up the remaining distance and plops herself down on the blanket next to her dad. He had set out their picnic basket and was busy getting their rest of their food set out on the blanket in between them. He was wearing his _'No. 1 Dad'_ baseball cap, shorts, and a tank top. Pretty typical attire for their hikes. They had been coming to this lookout spot for as long as Brittany could remember. _'Daddy dates'_ she had called them. _

_She laid back and closes her eyes, breathing in the sea salt mountain air. San Diego has the best of both worlds, the mountains and beach all within a half hour drive from the city._

_"Squeak? Did you bring the knife? I need the knife."_

_Brittany sat up to look over at her dad, dropping her hands from her eyes as she realized she missed the setting sun. "Dad, how long was I sleeping? Why didn't you wa—" _

_The words die in her throat as she takes in her father's appearance. He was no longer donning the casual attire of a father on a picnic with his daughter. He was in his uniform._

_Military issued fatigues. _

_BOOM!_

_"We have to move now! They're too close. I need to get you all to safety."_

_Brittany quickly scoots to Daniel's side as she tries to make sense of what is going on. The explosions going on in the background become louder and more intense. The ground shaking with each subsequent blast._

_"D-dad? Why are you bleeding? What's goi—"_

_Brittany's body is catapulted forward into a brick wall. Her body sliding down the rough surface until she's being carried bridal style away from another blast and yelling voices. She opens her eyes, but winces at the searing pain in her temples._

_Everything is blurry and there is the distinct smell of copper, tar, and hints burning plastic in the air. It's unlike anything she's ever smelled before._

_Her body is being jostled around and she finally sees the face of the person carrying her, "San! What are you doing here? What happened? Where's my dad?"_

_Daniel laid his hand on Brittany's shoulder from behind the rubble of a brick wall hiding the rest of his body. "I'm right here Squeak, but you two need to go now! I need to know you're out of here and safe. Santana can do that for you. I'm sorry I can't come with you…"_

_"B-but, you need to get out of here, too! I'm sooo scared, please just stay with me." Brittany's eyes grow wide as she sees more men with guns heading their way._

_"I know darlin', but you're in good hands. There won't be anything to be scared of soon. I wish I could be there to see you continue to grow into the woman I always knew you'd become. I'll make sure to check in on you, but I've gotta go now. And so do you. I love you…"_

_Brittany reaches forward, tears streaming down her face, and grasping at the material of his uniform as he runs back into the burning building. "I love you daddy… please don't go…"_

Brittany can't remember how many times she's had that same dream. Nightmare. Always startled awake in a cold sweat and sobs dying in her throat. The first few nights Santana had been there, wrapping her arms tightly around a pale waist, whispering soothingly into her ear and lightly scratching Britt's back to calm her down. But not since the last time when Brittany had seen that the Latina had become part of her nightmare. Brittany pushed her away and sobbed quietly on the other side of the bed.

It's not like she wanted to distance herself from Santana — she absolutely craves her presence, especially when she wakes up from her nightmares. But the last time was too intense. Too much for her mind and body to handle all at once. She hadn't told Santana of her role in the dream and how it was causing her to push her away in real life if only out of a sense of need to protect her. Santana would protest and Brittany knew she would give in.

Even now, as she turns towards her girlfriend, she can see the faint worry lines etching their way across her tan forehead and a hand tightly gripping the sheet resting between their bodies. A sure sign that even subconsciously Santana is always worried about protecting Brittany from harm. Brittany leans across the bed and kisses the crinkles lightly. It's the most she can offer right now. And she dare not try to sleep again. Not when her dad's eyes are still haunting her behind her eyelids.

She gets up and quickly slips on yoga pants and a tank top and jacket. She grabs her iPod and running shoes and heads to the living room, being as quiet as possible to not wake Santana or Quinn.

It's moments like these that she's really happy New York is the city that never sleeps. She loves mind numbing tasks like running the same path that's become habit, stopping at the juice bar near the park, and grabbing a couple sandwiches—one for the homeless guy Patches and the other to split between herself and the ducks. Well, that's if they haven't all migrated yet. Each morning that she sits at her and Santana's pond she notices more and more of them have flown south for the winter.

Today is no different. There's only a few adult ducks and ducklings wading through the water. Brittany wraps her jacket around her torso, covering her sweaty body from the late September chill.

"Daddy, I wish you could hear me or give me a sign that you're in a better place now. I-I miss you so so so much." She rests her head between her legs as she unsuccessfully tries to stop the mangled cry from tumbling out. She's cried so much these past weeks, with her dreams intensifying and coming more frequently. She knows Santana and Quinn are worried about her, she can see the worried glances they throw her way when they think she's not looking.

She's witnessed Quinn checking on them when she thinks they've finally fallen asleep. She knows they've arranged their lunch schedules so that someone is always there to bring her food to eat. She could be mad, but she knows they only do it because they care. And because she's given them reason enough to worry. If they didn't remind her to eat she would probably go days without once thinking about food. Especially the days where she's woken up in the middle of the night from another dream.

She looks up again, not even realizing she's thrown the entire sandwich to the ducks and slowly makes her way back to their apartment. The moon is still high in the sky, lighter blue streaks slowly making their way across the horizon as she steps into the foyer. She could probably get a quick shower and a few hours of sleep cuddled in Santana's safe arms before they have to wake up for class.

"Hey, where'd you go?"

"Just on a run." Brittany throws the wet towel from her hair into the clothes basket and climbs into bed on Santana's side.

"Do you want to ta— "

"No, but thank you. I really just want you to hold me as we go back to sleep for a little while."

Santana knows there's more, but she doesn't push. She's heard Britt crying in the middle of the night enough times to know there's nothing she can say to make everything better. There are times she wishes she had the perfect words to say or knew the perfect thing to do. She hates seeing Brittany so broken and not being able to fix it. But she won't stop trying. She will be within arms reach whenever Brittany wakes from a bad dream—whether she wants to be held or left alone. If that's the only thing Brittany wants, she will offer it endlessly.

* * *

"Dammit 'Tana, how the hell do you keep beating me?"

Santana smirked and shrugged her shoulders, "I told you, Puckerman, I'm a boss."

San and Puck had worked a few hours at Slay, but Puck was looking a little down so Santana suggested they have a 'lesbro' night. When Puck coined that phrase in high school she had to hold back from kicking him repeatedly at the absurdity of it, but it's grown on her. Kinda.

It turns out that Puck and Quinn are at an impasse because he's afraid of meeting her parents, especially over winter break like she has planned. Not only would he have to meet the parents of the girl he loves, but he also has to meet her uber religious right wing Christian parents at Christmas time. Christmas.

He's less than excited and keeps working himself into a frenzy thinking of all the things that could go wrong.

'What if they don't like gay people?'

'What if they don't like that I'm not religious?'

'What if they think I'm not good enough for their daughter?'

The list goes on and on and on. And he's been so worried about how he'll handle their eventual denial of him that he's been distancing himself from Quinn. He doesn't know how to voice his fears without making it seem like he's whining. And now he has the brilliant idea to get Santana to go to San Diego over winter break with them. He knows she won't want to spend that much time away from Brittany.

"No way in hell. I don't know how you think I would agree to that when I can't even talk to the lady over Skype."

Puck wants to shake some sense in to her. Elizabeth Pierce is one of the nicest ladies he's ever had a chance to meet. Granted, it was a short video chat, but he can tell. She asked him all sorts of questions and commented on how cute him and Quinn look together. He knows she'll love Santana just as much.

"'Tana, stop being so stubborn. Elizabeth is just like Ma, though maybe a little less forthcoming with embarrassing details."

"What the hell? When did you talk to her? And now you're on a first name basis?!" Santana grabbed her dart and launched it at the board. Double 9.

"One of the many times you got an 'important phone call' while Britt was on the line with her. I was trying to buy you some time to grow a pair, so I introduced myself."

"Look, I get it. I should bite the bullet and swallow my fear. But what if she doesn't like me? At least you know about the shit Quinn's parents have put her through. She probably values Britt's mom's opinion more than her own, so you've got it made. Just meet her parents and defend her if they say anything remotely out of line." She looks over at Puck and rolls her eyes, "Like we both know you're completely capable of considering…"

Puck nods his head in agreement, "yeah, and you know I would defend you too if they said anything out of line. But back to the point you're tying to distract me from." Puck picked up one of his darts and aimed it back towards his birthday present. 5. Shit. "I think I understand the real reason why you're so scared to meet her."

Santana narrowed her eyes at him, "I swear if this is some half-brained attempt to psychoanalyze me with shit you're learning in your organizational behavior class I will – "

Puck waved his hands to ward off her rant. The tequila had started to work into her system and he wants to get this out before she has an emotional break. Hopefully it won't come to that, but he feels there's a lot on her mind that she thinks she's hiding well.

"I think you're nervous because you only have the one parent to meet and her opinion will mean everything to Brittany since her dad isn't here to give his input. And I get it, that's some scary shit." Puck looked over at his best friend and tried to make her see the sincerity of his next words, "But San, you are one of the most amazing people I know. And Elizabeth will love you because you're perfect for Brittany. No one else could ever make her feel the way you do. And no one else could ever dream of making your happier than she makes you. I see it. Quinn sees it. Ma and Pops and Benji see it. And, when you finally give her the chance, Elizabeth will see it too."

"Good grief, Noah. I'm gonna vomit from all the cheese you're serving up." She finishes the last of her drink and points at the black light scoreboard, "By the way, I made you my bitch. Now I need some air."

Noah shook his head at the ass whooping he was handed. "Well, after you come back in we should go over to your place. I don't know about you, but I really want to see my girl."

"Yeah, yeah, I'm hungry and you don't have any food in this place…"

"Yes I do, I just went grocery – oh wait, I see what you're doing."

Santana shook her head as she grabbed a blanket and stepped out onto the fire escape.

_"Hola, Mija."_

"Hola, Papi. I didn't wake you did I?"

_"No, no. I'm at the store picking up a few things for your mother and brother. How are you?"_

Santana sighed. It's times like these she misses being close to home. Just smelling her dad's cologne or having his arms wrap her up would be a welcome reprieve from the struggle going on inside her right now.

"I'm okay, just a lot on my mind."

_"Penny for your thoughts?"_

She laughs remembering how that little phrase used to get her to spill her guts to him when she was younger. She always wanted a penny to throw in the wishing well at the mall. Go gullible.

"Britt's going through a lot of stuff right now and I don't know how to be there for her. She keeps having dreams about her dad and I know the anniversary of his death is coming up soon. I just don't know what to do to help."

_"You won't remember this, you were too young, but there was a time when your Mami and I were in a similar situation. Well, not one dealing with the death of a loved one, but Mari was very closed off trying to deal with her emotions on her own in the best way she knew how. And I was stuck on the outside trying to figure out the best way to be there for her and to let her know that I was always going to be there for her."_

Nicolas paused, waiting for Santana to let him know she was listening. When she did, he continued, _"I was always gone at the beginning of your childhood because I had just taken over TRI. Your mami and I were learning how to adjust to having both you and Ben to take care of with my new schedule. I had to learn how to communicate better with her so she didn't think I was just taking advantage of her willingness to adjust her teaching schedule. All in all, my best advice is to just be there for her and understand that allowing her time to talk when she's ready is what she needs most."_

"I get that, Papi, I do. But how am I supposed to help her when it's driving me crazy not being able to take away any of her pain."

_"Not to sound harsh, but welcome to the world of love. You will ask yourself that questions many, many times. From loving Brittany to one day having your own kids—you will undoubtedly give yourself many gray hairs trying to figure out how to take their pain away. You have such a beautiful loving heart and generous spirit, that it's practically ingrained in you. But maybe what she needs would be for you to take her out on a relaxing date or think of something she could do to commemorate her dad—something loving and that celebrates his life. Anything that lets her know that you hear her and will be there for her without pushing her before she's ready."_

Nicolas finishes giving his only daughter a pep talk, hoping beyond hopes she can figure something out that eases both her and Brittany's minds. Santana stays sitting on the fire escape for a few minutes longer to soak up the relative peace she has after their talk. She loves talking to her Papi—he always has the best advice.

She gets up and finds Puck lounging on the couch with his shoes and coat already on. She smiles at his eagerness to get to his girlfriend. And, if she's being truthful, she's just as eager to get home for no other reason than holding Brittany close and making sure she doesn't wake from a nightmare in the middle of the night all alone.

* * *

Quinn and Britt are watching a movie and eating popcorn… Well, 'watching' is probably the wrong word to use. They're both mindlessly listening to words in the background as they catch brief glimpses of changing scenes. To say their minds are preoccupied would be a major understatement.

Brittany really wants Santana there, but she doesn't want to interrupt her night with Puck. And Quinn keeps checking her cell phone for a text or call from Puck, but is too stubborn to actually call him first. Brittany's caught her mumbling 'stubborn ass men' multiple times under her breath while throwing her phone down and pretending to be fascinated with a movie she doesn't even remember the title of.

"You know, if you miss him that much why don't you just call him?"

"B, you know I can't do that. He's the one who been acting all distant lately. If he needs time I'll give him time. I just don't understand why he all of a sudden doesn't want to come home with me."

"I doubt that's it. Maybe he's scared to meet Judy and Russell?"

"Yeah maybe, but you know them—they're all bark and no bite. Plus, who knows if Russell will actually be around. He's been staying at his new girlfriend's place – I hardly ever see him. Besides, no matter what they say it isn't going to change the way I feel about him."

Brittany nods her head in agreement. Judy and Russell are parents by name only. Quinn spent most of high school staying over at Brittany's house to get away from the constant fighting. People usually think she's had a silver spoon lifestyle since her parents are well off and she's the only child, but Quinn wasn't raised to believe she should be valued and treated like a princess. Which is why Brittany is happy that her and Puck are doing so well. At least, _were_ doing so well.

If there's one thing repeatedly taught as a psychology major, that she knows more about now that she's lived with two of the most complex people ever: Not everything is as it seems.

"Well, does he know that?"

"He should… well, maybe. I don't know…" After a little thought Quinn rolls her eyes at herself and tries to help out her best friend. "Is Santana still avoiding talking to your mom?"

"What do you mean? She's not avoiding it, she's just really busy."

"Brittany, she isn't always too busy to talk. She gets this 'scared shitless' look every time you mention your mom… I guess her and Noah are alike in that."

Realization dawns on Brittany. She hadn't even considered that Santana could be scared. "But she has nothing to fear. You know my mom will love her- heck, she already does."

"Yeah, but Santana is complicated. She's a really good person, but she always sees her own faults. They're magnified in her minds eye. And she's probably scared that your mom will see all of that and do something crazy like forbid you guys from seeing each other. She's extreme like that."

Quinn chuckles to herself as she thinks back, "when we first started living together she would always hide behind this tough bitchy exterior to keep everyone but Puck at arms length. Nothing I could say or do would get her to let me in… it took forever and a few choice words to get her to see I was sticking around. It's kind of what shocked me about her warming up to you so quickly. I swear, when you made her smile that first night I knew something was different."

Quinn sees Britt nodding, but it's obvious she's not listening and is more interested in typing a text and then deleting it multiple times without sending it.

"You know, if you miss her so much why don't you just call her?" Quinn smirks while throwing Brittany's line back at her.

Britt rolls her eyes, a move that Quinn knows she's undoubtedly picked up from Santana. "Because I want her to have a good time with Puck. She's caught me crying a few times and I can see how worried she is. I don't want her to think I need her to be with me all the time."

"Is it about your dad?"

Britt nods. "I keep having these dreams… But she has so much going on with school and work and internships and I don't want to be another burden for her. I can get through this."

Quinn shakes her head, "believe me, she would much rather be there for you than be anywhere else. She loves you and you love her and I know you guys haven't said it to each other yet, but it's written all over your faces. When you're together. When you're apart. The love is there, and when you're in love you'd do anything to protect the other person."

"Yeah, I guess you're right. Can I sleep in your room tonight? I don't want to wake up alone."

"I don't think that will be necessary. Get up, we're going to interrupt their little lesbro party. We'll bring 'em food and beer and make up some good excuse along the way."

Quinn and Brittany quickly throw on their shoes, movie long forgotten in the background, and grab their coats. "Hey B, go grab some beer out of the cave, I'll call a cab and we can pick up a pizza on the way."

Brittany runs into the mancave, a smile gracing her face for the first time all evening. It's crazy how just the mere thought of seeing Santana has already lifted her spirits. She finds a six-pack and grabs a half-empty bottle of Patron and walks back into the living room.

"Going somewhere, beautiful?" Brittany's eyes snap up to the mocha brown ones she was just thinking of.

"What are you d— " The words are abruptly cut off when Santana's lips swiftly meet her own. The passion, and slightly peppery taste of tequila, evident in the lingering lip lock.

"There's no other place I'd rather be."

* * *

_"I know darlin', but she needs you now. I wish I could be there to see you walk down the aisle. I'll make sure to check in on you, but I've gotta go now. And so do you. I love you…"_

_Brittany's grip tightens on Santana as she looks at her father running back into the burning building. "I love you daddy…"_

Brittany wakes from her tortuous nightmare again only this time she was the one carrying Santana away from the blast. She can't seem to shake the eerie feeling creeping under her skin, so she rolls over to find comfort in her girlfriend's embrace. Instead she finds cold sheets. It's 8am. Sunday.

**Hey San, where'd you go? – B**

**Hey babe, I'm at school working on my mixing. – S**

She puts on her running shoes and sweatshirt and heads out the door, but this time instead of making a left she turns right and heads towards campus. She's running faster than before and she's not sure if it's residual adrenaline from the dream or if she's really nervous that Santana might be in trouble.

_Almost there._

She stops right outside the music hall entrance and puts her sweatshirt back on. The schools were still running their A/C. She walks in and looks in each of the recording rooms, but they're all dark and empty. Until she finds Mercedes sitting in the last room.

"Hey 'Cedes, is San here working with you?"

"Nah, that girl is never here on weekends. Something about needing her beauty sleep."

Brittany's brows scrunch in confusion. Santana's been up early on Sunday mornings for a while now. She rereads the text that Santana sent. Maybe there's somewhere else to do her work. "Are you sure this is the only place to work on mixing?"

"Yeah, why? Is everything ok?"

"Yeah… thanks…" Brittany's heart sinks as her fears settle in. Santana's hiding something.


	14. Stranger Danger

**A/N: The end of last chapter and beginning of this chapter overlap. The text message is the same one from last chapter. **

* * *

Chapter 14: Stranger Danger

Santana yawned and stretched her arms high above her head. She twirled her neck to try to loosen the muscles that were still tense.

Last night, after her and Puck had surprised the girls by coming back to the condo early, they played a few games of pool and then each couple went their separate ways. Quinn and Puck stayed up for a while to talk about what was going on in each of their minds about the trip to California. Santana and Brittany made their way to Brittany's bedroom and lay in bed talking for a while. Well, they _started_ talking, but that quickly turned into other things.

Santana grabbed her coffee; a smile gracing her lips as she remembered the way Brittany had repeatedly moaned her name while slipping into her moment of ecstasy.

"Hey, Santana, the volunteers are here. Where do you want us to start?"

Santana pushed away from the desk and made her way out of the temporary office. There was still quite a bit to accomplish if they were going to meet their goal to open the shelter's doors by Thanksgiving. Eric followed her closely. She may have put him in charge of overseeing the volunteers and remodel plans, but she was still the mastermind of all they had accomplished so far and he knew better than to start something without her approval.

"Hi guys, thanks again for coming out to help." Santana stood on top of a table in the middle of the soon-to-be gymnasium. "As you can see, there's still a lot that needs to be done. A handful of you will work with Eric and his team to finish the medical area. The others will work with me. Some of you will help clear the debris out of here and start laying down the new flooring. Others will work on the kitchen to clear out space for the new appliances. Holly told me you'll have a shift change later this morning, just let me know when you're headed out so I can come out to greet the new group and see where you've left off. Also, I know your youth group will be here next weekend, so we're trying to have most of the heavy lifting and cleanup of remodel complete. That way they can paint and help with stocking supplies. We have a big delivery coming in a few weeks, so if you feel like continuing to help we would certainly appreciate it."

Santana looked over the crowd of middle-aged men and women as they went to their designated areas. When the request to volunteer came in Santana had been skeptical. First, as much as she tried to maintain the low-key nature of the project word was getting out. And fast. So she had received many requests offering their help. Second, and this is what really made her question the legitimacy of the offer, this group was church based. Not that Santana had any issue with churches in general, but it was rare to see a church willing to help an organization with its efforts when they specifically pertained to LGBTQ youth and homeless veterans.

Holly Holliday, one of the leaders of the new age church, agreed to meet with Santana. Well, it's not really like she had a choice. Santana had responded to the email with evident skepticism, so Holly suggested they meet for coffee to discuss the church's core values and why it would be a good investment of time for both of them. They had met the Wednesday after at a little coffee shop around the corner from the church. Santana wasn't comfortable enough to meet on the church's property, but she wanted to see where this group would be coming from. They sat across a booth from each other, sipping on their coffees as Santana drilled Holly with questions and Holly injected her charm in with her sometimes sarcastic answers.

Holly had done a magnificent job reassuring Santana that her congregation was one of the most progressive and liberal in the city. Not only did they have, and fully support, having females in pastoral positions but they also had their own outreach program for the LGBTQ community. She had said "too many claiming to be religious show everything except true acceptance and love. That's why we're focused on changing that and making sure people know that love and acceptance are more important to us than gender and sexuality."

And that had made the decision easy for Santana. They finished their coffees and walked over to the church, Holly showing Santana around their meeting area and discussing their city outreach program.

**Hey San, where'd you go? – B**

Santana's brought back to the present by the buzzing in her jeans pocket and quickly typed a message back.

**Hey babe, I'm at school working on my mixing. – S**

The lie comes out quickly, but not easily, and it's always accompanied by an intense bitter taste coating her mouth. She's successfully kept this project from the prying eyes of the public for months and, unfortunately, in her effort to keep it low-key she's had to exclude most of those closest to her. Why? Because it's not easy being the daughter of a wealthy businessman and trying to live your life in that shadow. In the beginning reporters used to call her phone and follow her around trying to get information on the company. She hadn't been prepared for that and she has no desire to allow her girlfriend and those closest to her to suffer through that violation of privacy as well. Maybe it's illogical to think someone would try to dig through her garbage for insider trading secrets, but it's happened. Too many times to count. And the first time it happened Santana had left some private information unshredded that had been leaked to major news outlets. Santana had never been more thankful for her dad's Public Relations team.

Even knowing all that she does, Santana had made the mistake of putting her name and information on the first documents about the shelter, and that's how Nicolas had found out about the entire project. Since then Eric has been the figurehead on the applications for permits and delivery receipts. _Just a precaution, Santanita._ Nicolas had given the PR team a set of parameters to always be aware of and fortunately, or unfortunately- Santana doesn't really know, their safeguards had been triggered and immediately flagged for attention.

Santana checked on each group in their areas and designated a shift leader before returning to the office to fill out more grant applications and finish the paperwork for more permits. She never realized how much a non-profit organization had to do just to open its doors legally. Let alone one that had a medical wing and soup kitchen. It's a lot of work. And now more than ever she wishes she could ask Puck for advice—he is the one majoring in business management after all—but she can't because she's kept them in the dark this long and the backlash she would get for lying to him and Brittany would be too much to handle right now. Especially with Brittany in such a vulnerable emotional state.

The blonde has been getting less sleep as the weeks have rolled on, afraid to close her eyes and see her dad's face over and over again. Afraid of seeing him walk away and not being able to do anything to stop it. Afraid of the continuous cycle of mourning her loss and not being able to move on. She finally told Santana her dream, still leaving out the parts involving Santana, and had broken down about how she didn't know why this was happening three years after the fact. Santana did her best to console her: singing softly and gentle kisses and touches meant to soothe which eventually led to Brittany asking for more. _Needing_ to feel her closer and more intimately. Brittany didn't need to ask twice, Santana would do anything and everything to make sure Brittany has what she wants and needs.

Santana takes a calming breath as she runs her fingers through her hair and pulls it into a messy bun. She finishes her coffee, setting the empty sup back on the desk, before she readjusts her glasses and gets started on the mountain of paperwork piling up on the desk.

* * *

"Aubrey, will you bring me some water please?"

The young man finished tying his loafers before readjusting the leg of his grey chinos and pulling the collar of his shirt from it's tucked position. He adjusts the frame of the futon to its upright couch back position and throws his pillow and blankets into the hall linen closet.

The one bedroom apartment he lives in with his dad isn't much, but it's all they can afford right now. With the medical bills steadily coming in and his inability to find a good paying job with benefits, they had to move from their house in the suburbs to this little apartment near the trains.

He steps into the bathroom, quickly applying pomade to his brown hair, and finishes his morning routine. He does this every day. Wakes up early, makes his dad breakfast, dresses to impress any potential employer, leaves the apartment to put his application in to every major accounting firm in the area, goes to his modeling agent's office to check for any updates on possible new shoots, and comes home to relieve the nurses from his father's care.

Almost a year ago he had been _let go_. His blood still boils at their ease of getting rid of him. He had been fired for nothing more than a little misunderstanding. But they didn't see it that way. They didn't _want_ to see it that way. And they had subsequently terminated his employment and benefits with the company immediately. That was just two months after he found out his father was severely ill. They had caught the cancer early enough for Richard to go in for intensive treatment, but without the ability to pay for the constant chemotherapy and radiation treatments they had resorted to a mix of occasional office visits with a less expensive doctor and home therapy for the side effects. It wasn't ideal, but it was the best they had.

The young man shakes his head to clear the thoughts from his mind. _Dad will be okay. He'll be one of the few that make it. He's strong. _

He walks into the only bedroom in the apartment to find his father laying in the bed, reading glasses perched on the edge of his nose, flipping through the Sunday edition of the New York Times. "Ah, there's my boy. You're looking good as always. Going to church again?"

Aubrey smiled at his dad's usual enthusiasm and nodded his head. "Yeah for a little bit. Then I'm going to have coffee with an old friend."

"Oh? Is it anyone that I know?" Richard folded the paper in half and laid it across his lap. He looked into the green, soulful eyes of his son and inwardly frowned at the lack of spark there. He had been so full of life and love and freedom until about a year ago. That's when Richard had first noticed the pain and had gone to see a doctor when it hadn't gone away. He and his wife had put on a brave face until it was painfully obvious something was wrong.

Aubrey was no idiot. He could see the clothes slowly growing looser on his dad's deflating muscular frame. And one fateful Thursday Aubrey returned home from work to find his dad sitting at the dinner table with a letter balled up in his fist and a pint of whiskey half way gone. His mother had left. She couldn't "dare stay to see the man she loved slip away in front of her eyes".

Richard clears his throat and Aubrey's eyes, briefly cloudy from rehashing painful memories, flash something Richard doesn't quite understand. "Yeah, but you haven't seen her in a while. Neither had I actually. I ran in to her in Ohio on that modeling job I picked up, but we didn't have a chance to talk. I'm going to see if she knows of any job openings."

"Wow, what are the odds of that? Ohio is a long way from New York."

A look of hatred crosses Aubrey's eyes as his fists clench in his lap and his brow hardens inadvertently narrowing his eyes in his father's direction. "And New York is a long way from Chicago." He mutters under his breath. "Anyway, I should get going before I'm late."

He leans down and brushes thin grey and black strands of hair from his father's face. "Love you dad."

"Love you too. Have fun and don't worry 'bout me. We'll figure something out."

Before the young man can make it out of the apartment, one of the home nurses stops him. "Hi Aubrey." She flashes him a bright smile and he gives her a tight-lipped smile in return.

Undeterred by his cold demeanor she continues, "your dad needs more care than we can give him here. If we bumped up his office treatments to twice a we—"

"I know what he needs. I'm working on getting the money to get him full-time care." She slowly slinks away, knowing full well she's been dismissed, as he turns without saying another word and looks over the recently opened envelopes scattered across the small kitchen table.

New Patient Invoice.

Late Payment: Second Notice.

Late Payment: Final Notice.

Collections for medical services rendered.

He sighs as he crumples one of the letters in his hand and throws it across the room. This better work. Something's gotta give. He slips on his blue blazer and tosses his messenger bag over his shoulder, adjusting the lapels and buttoning the top of the two buttons before quickly making his way across town.

He knows to keep his head down—do the least possible to keep from drawing attention to himself on the street alone. He never had to do that in his old neighborhood. Never had to worry about coming home too late or constantly feeling the need to check his surroundings for unseen threats. He hates not feeling the security he once had.

He gets to the train station just in time to catch the 11:05 train towards his church and the coffee shop. Ah, church. He wasn't raised in one, and honestly never stepped foot in one, until his dad started getting worse. He never saw the appeal of mass organized religion. Not when so many people had used the name of their god to start wars and preach hate. Sure, he was envious of the pastors that drove around in BMWs while most of their congregation lived paycheck to paycheck. But something about it just didn't sit right with him. And it wasn't until he knew his father's health was getting worse that he turned to religion as a way to seek healing.

The home treatments weren't doing anything for the cancer and if he didn't find a way to get him covered on insurance he knew the chances of complete remission would drop drastically. The doctors had removed the tumors before he was fired from his job, but they weren't able to finish a complete round of chemotherapy before his insurance was cut off and they were forced to move out of their house. He had found a doctor near their new place that was able to set up a payment plan for chemotherapy treatments and give medication throughout the week to help with the pain and nausea. So Aubrey had one of his many fears relieved. Knowing that the doctors removed the tumors was the biggest relief, but he's read enough to know that without adequate treatment afterwards the tiny cells that could have been left over and the ones that couldn't be removed might cause the cancer to return.

He slips into the back row of the church. The pastor, or preacher, or shepherd, he really doesn't have a clue what to call him, so he settles for speaker. The speaker is talking about the living a good life and what the term 'good' entails, but Aubrey doesn't hear a word of it. He's too busy thinking of his next move and having an internal debate on whether or not he should go through with his plan.

Before he realizes what's going on he looks up to see most of the congregation on their feet heading towards the exit. _1:45pm, shit did I fall asleep?_ He quickly gathers his jacket and bag and rushes out the exit towards the coffee shop. Last stop before his meeting and he has a feeling he should go into his meeting wide awake and ready for anything.

"Hi, welcome to 'Beam Me Up, Scotty'! What can I get for ya?" The overly happy barista asks as he pulls out his wallet.

"I need a tall iced caramel macchiato and a tall iced chai."

* * *

Santana has never seen so much mail for a place that technically doesn't even exist yet. There's the important stuff that she sets to the side. And then there's the junk mail pile.

Why would a non-existent place need to save 10% on their next purchase of lawn care products? In NEW YORK!

Save on America On Line. She shakes her head and tosses it into the junk pile… Seriously, AOL still exists?

And her personal favorite: apparently '_Current Resident'_ has won the clearinghouse sweepstakes and is a finalist for the grand prize of one million dollars! She can't believe people actually fall prey to that scheme.

Santana shakes her head and searches out the buzzing sound coming from beneath one of the many piles of paperwork still strewn across the desk.

**hey San when will u be home? – B**

Santana smiles just thinking about Brittany and how much she's missed her. She hopes Britt likes the flowers on the dresser. There hasn't been one Sunday that's gone by that Santana hasn't left flowers for Brittany. Some might say it was a bribe, but she likes to think of it more as a "don't be mad that I'm gone, I'll be home soon" present. Even if Brittany doesn't know why she should be mad. Yet.

Today has by far been the longest time she has had to be at the shelter, but there was no other choice. She had to come in with so much to get done. Hell, she still has a lot to get done.

**I'm finishing a few things, so maybe an hour and a half. Thai tonight? – S**

Santana looks at the time, _2:07pm_, and sets her phone on her chair as she grabs all of the junk mail and tosses it into the recycling bin.

**we can but I thought I'd cook for us. Qs going to puck's –B **

**Sounds perfect, babe. I'll grab a bottle of wine on my way back. –S **

She mentally notes that she needs to swing by the store to pick up Brittany's favorite dessert wine and some fruit. _If she's cooking dinner, I'll be sure to bring dessert._

She settles back in to her chair and picks up the first letter from a medical company in upstate New York. She slices it open with the letter opener and quickly skims over the content before placing it into a new pile: _Discuss with Marco_

She picks up the next letter from a local small practice and puts it in another pile: _Discuss with Eric_

The next envelope has the seal of the State of New York in the upper left hand corner, so she opens it with a little anxiety not knowing what would be said.

_New York City_

_Department of State's DCEA_

_New York, NY 10007_

_Dear Mr. Eric Phillips:_

_In reference to the permit you applied for, dated July 8, 2015, we have put the permit on hold until we receive the following information:_

_Tax liability information._

_Proprietor background check._

_Insurance and liability coverage documentation._

_Please resubmit the permit paperwork along with the items detailed above. _

_Sincerely,_

_The Division of Code Enforcement and Administration_

Santana groaned as she looked at the legalese contained in that letter and the subsequent three letters sent afterwards. Now she had a new pile: _Discuss with Papi_

There's a light knock on the office door and Santana lifts her head to see who's entering.

"Santana, there's a gentleman that says he's an old friend here to see you."

Before Eric can finish the sentence Aubrey pushes the door wider and brushes past him flashing his arrogant grin. He sees an empty cup from 'Bean Me Up, Scotty' sitting on Santana's desk and chuckles, "I take you still enjoy caramel macchiatos?"

Santana's jaw clenches hard, a look of anger flashing dangerously behind her eyes, "Sebastian, what the hell are you doing here?"


	15. No One Else

Disclaimer: I don't own Glee, its characters, or the song by Amel Larrieux.

A/N: Thank you to all of the reviewers and readers—I'm glad you're still along for the ride. Sorry it's taken so long and that this chapter is fairly short. But this chapter is leading to more good things for our girls.

* * *

_"And when we're gray and wiser_

_story I will tell is that I belong with you_

_and no one, no one else._

_I belong with you and no one else._

_No one else."_

* * *

Santana pressed the elevator button and watched the doors close, taking a deep breath to clear the residual anger from her demeanor. Aubrey Sebastian Smythe (an ass in more ways than one) was someone she had no intention of wasting any more mental energy on for the day. His unexpected and unwanted arrival had thrown Santana's mood into a tailspin. His requests for meeting her later in the week fell on deaf ears as she had Eric help him leave the building. There was no way she wanted a replay of their last encounter.

She had sat back down to finish sorting through the letters on her desk, but nothing could get his face out of her head, so she left the shelter early. Eric was left in charge of seeing the last volunteers out and locking the building. They'd planned to meet with Holly later in the week to schedule the next month of volunteers. Santana's heart was set on opening the shelter doors in time for Thanksgiving. The medical wing is still being stocked thanks to her uncle Marco's help and Eric's connections within the community. Santana's also exchanged emails with local schools about possible volunteers for starting a GED study group for the homeless that don't have their high school diploma. In today's economy it's hard enough to get a job with a college degree, and it's virtually impossible to have a self-sustaining lifestyle without completing a high school education. Yet, many of the homeless in the area are LGBT youth that have been kicked out of their homes due to their "lifestyle choices". Or they're veterans returning home from war with nothing but the clothes on their backs, their homes seized while they were fighting for their country, and can't find work as they try to readjust to _real life_ after seeing a multitude of atrocities and injustices.

The elevator door dings and brings Santana out of her silent contemplation. Now is not the time to dwell on things that she can't fix today. She files the thoughts away to be dealt with another day. She grabs the grocery bags from the floor and makes her way to her door smelling the rich, intoxicating, scent of a home cooked meal wafting out from under the door.

"Hey, Britt, I'm home." Santana kicks the door closed and slips out of her shoes.

On the dining room table she sees today's flowers sitting in their vase, daisies and wildflowers, along with a couple candles and two placemats already set.

"Hey babe, it's almost ready." Brittany looks up from her station at the stove. She's been on the phone with Maribel most of the afternoon trying to make sure the recipe was right, so now she's just checking on the empanadas and corn cake as they finish cooking in the oven.

Santana looks at Brittany: her blonde hair is loosely tied in a messy bun, Santana's old Nequa Valley high school t-shirt barely covering her midsection, short black running shorts and low cut black socks. Santana sets the grocery bag of fruit on the counter and puts the two bottles of wine in the wine rack. She walks up to Brittany and wraps her into a tight hug from behind, pressing kisses into her shoulder blades as Brittany's hand caresses her forearm.

Brittany turns the oven off and turns into the embrace of her girlfriend. She wants so desperately to ask where Santana's been all day, but if she's honest with herself she's too afraid of what the answer might be. Brittany's only had one serious relationship before this one, and to say it didn't end well would be quite an understatement.

Tommy had started off quite the gentleman. He was charming and attentive and chivalrous. But over the course of their relationship things had changed. Where he had once held her hand proudly, he shunned her away from his presence. The times of holding open doors and whispering sweet nothings had turned into slamming bedroom doors and yelling out insults. And that doesn't even scratch the surface of the cheating and lying that he barely tried to hide. He had become mean and bitter and deceitful.

Quinn hated Tommy for all the things he ever did to Brittany to make her cry, and has never let him live it down. But Brittany didn't see that bad side of him until it was too late and she was in too deep. Quinn found out about Tommy's infidelity, and while she had no desire to hurt her best friend, she told Brittany knowing it would crush her. But it didn't crush her. Not then. Because Brittany had already known about his other girls, but did nothing about it. She let Tommy have his fun because it meant he would leave her alone. And after all the pain she had been through with her dad's death all she really wanted was to be left alone without actually being alone. His infidelity was barely a blip on her radar.

Then, as if fate was on her side, she got the internship and was accepted to NYU. She broke up with him in May before she moved in with Quinn and Santana, knowing that she'd need a clean start if she was going to get her life back on track and away from the bad habits she had picked up while being with him. But, as Santana's earlier lie replays in her mind, all of those repressed emotions come flooding to the surface. And Brittany's heart clenches at the thought of going through that again. She loves _loves_ Santana, and even though they haven't uttered that word to each other, she feels like her girlfriend feels the same way. But if she loves her, why would she lie? Santana should have no reason to lie unless she's unhappy, right?

Brittany's blue eyes lock with the inquisitive brown ones in front of her, and she does the one thing that feels right in that moment. Her lips lightly graze the plump ones in front of her, searching for the foreign taste of another woman on her lips or for Santana to display a sense of hesitation at the intimate act. But she finds nothing but the familiarity of her faithful girlfriend there. Santana presses their lips firmly together, not knowing why Brittany's eyes are glazed over but wanting to convey the depth of her feelings. The intensity that's threatening to burst out of her chest if she keeps it in any longer.

"San, dinner is almost ready. Will you get the drinks and I'll put the food on the table?" Brittany whispers out after reluctantly ending the kiss.

Santana leans forward and places another light peck to Brittany's soft pink lips before grabbing two wine glasses and one of the chilled bottles of wine from the refrigerator. Tonight. She'll tell her tonight. "Is the moscato ok with you?"

At Brittany's nod of approval she takes her items out to the dining room table and places the wine into the ice bucket. She's about to go help Brittany with the rest, but feels a buzzing in her pocket and looks at the unsaved number on her screen.

**Santana think about what I said. We need to talk. - Seb**

Her hand tightens around the phone and she tries to remember a time when she ever gave him her number. And, as if he could read her mind, her phone buzzes again.

**I got your number from your grant submission. We can help each other you know? – Seb**

Santana turns her phone off, there's no sense in entertaining his delusional thoughts tonight. Or any other time. Brittany struts through the kitchen door with a baking dish in her hand and Santana smacks her ass as she walks into the kitchen to grab the remaining dish.

"Babe, this all looks and smells phenomenal!" Santana's eyes gaze over the elaborate set up in front of her. Brittany had already used a match to light the candles, soft music was playing through the speakers, and she was in the process of using the corkscrew to open the wine bottle.

"I hope it tastes good, too." Brittany offers a small smile in Santana's direction as she pours them each a glass of the sweet wine.

Santana picks up her glass and rests her other hand over Brittany's free hand, "here's to us. I hope to have many many many more relaxing evening like this with you."

Brittany bites her bottom lip, a look of adoration briefly gracing her face, before she lightly taps her glass against Santana's. "Here's to us."

* * *

Santana refilled their wine glasses and followed Brittany to the couch, intent on relaxing while watching a movie or something, but neither girl had reached for the remote. Instead, they traded languid kisses and soft touches until Brittany shifted to get off the couch.

"Britt, where are you going?"

Brittany turned around and kissed Santana's forehead, "I'll be right back. Just stay here and relax."

And with that she was walking up the stairs leaving Santana with a carefree smile. Santana sipped on her wine, letting her eyes shut as she listened to the smooth music notes floating throughout the apartment.

_Swift as a wind song_

_sang the music of an honest bird_

_I waited for some contradiction_

_truth was ringing in your every word_

Brittany took Santana's glass from her and set it on the coffee table. She turned back to Santana, taking a moment to look into the brown eyes she's come to adore so much, before pulling the smaller girl to her feet. "Dance with me?"

_and every moment since then_

_the one thing I can say_

_is that I belong with you and no one else_

San's smile, the one that is reserved for only Brittany, spreads so wide across her face that she feels her cheek muscles protesting. She leans forward into Brittany's embrace as the blonde takes a few steps away from the table and couches. She starts their movement with tiny steps to get them into the rhythm of the music and Santana's eyes flutter closed, willing her mind to absorb every detail of this moment and burn it just as vividly into her memory.

_Lay down those heavy burdens_

_on the banks of this river deep_

_know that every piece of your past_

_is always some place safe with me_

Brittany rests her forehead against Santana's and pulls her girlfriend into a tighter embrace, wrapping her left arm more securely around San's waist. Santana's eyes flutter open and she lifts on to her tiptoes to lean close to Brittany's ear. "Thank you for being such a great girlfriend."

_and there's no room for judgment_

_I want you as yourself_

_because I belong with you_

_and no one else_

Blue eyes, so full of emotion, flit between brown. Brittany leans forward, her fingers moving to the hem of Santana's shirt, and presses her lips to Santana's forehead. Her cheeks. Her nose. Her chin. And, as she tosses Santana's shirt to the floor, she lowers her lips to the skin resting above her girlfriend's rapidly beating heart. Her lips linger there on the skin until Santana's hands cup Brittany's cheeks and tilt her head up. "Britt, I have something to tell you."

_We have both been broken_

_bent into painful shapes_

_We almost let those old fears _

Santana's not sure why she's choosing this moment for her confession – this perfect moment that apparently she's okay with ruining – but she doesn't want to lie to Brittany any more. "I –"

"Santana, I love you." Brittany's movements still and her eyes widen, realizing she's the first to say the _l word_, but she makes no attempt to take them back. Instead turning her focus towards her girlfriend who's been uncharacteristically quiet and still.

_carry over and get in our way_

_every struggle just makes our love _

_get stronger than it was yesterday_

Santana finally snaps out of her shock and pulls Brittany into a lip-bruising kiss. "Britt, I…"

Brittany exhales a shaky breath, mentally preparing herself for the let down that's sure to follow. "Look, San, you don't have to say it back. I just want you to know how I feel. How I _really_ feel."

"Brittany, I love you too. I, this… you just caught me off guard. I love you so _so_ much."

Now it's Brittany's turn to pull Santana into a deep kiss. Their lips sliding effortlessly against one another. Relishing in the feel of being so close to the person they love. And, if Brittany's being honest, she's relieved to know Santana feels the same way about her. Even if there's the unresolved matter of the lie hanging somewhere above their heads. For now, she's just going to bask in the love of her girlfriend, and deal with all that other stuff another day.

_So here we are now_

_ain't it lucky we survived it all_

_searching for self in separate rivers_

_only to end up in the same waterfall_

Brittany picks Santana up, tan legs wrapping around her hips, and walks up the stairs and into Santana's bedroom. There's a soft light, shadows dancing across the grey bedroom walls, coming from the bathroom. Brittany nudges the bathroom door open wider and Santana can smell the vanilla-coconut of her favorite bubble bath. Little tea light candles are resting in floating holders along the sink and edges of the large bathtub and her robe is hanging on the hook by the door.

Brittany sets Santana down on the ground, lowering herself to her knees to help Santana out of her pants. She slides each leg out and Santana shimmies out of her undies and bra last. Tan fingers slide between fair ones and Santana feels the remaining stress of the day slowly start to ebb away.

She gingerly steps into the tub and settles herself with her back resting against the far edge. She exhales a deep breath, the hot water soaking into her skin and seemingly down to her bones, and allows her head to lull backwards. Brittany tucks a piece of stray hair behind Santana's ear and turns towards the door. "This is the second time you're trying to sneak away. Where do you think you're off to now?"

"Says the girl who sneaks away while I'm sleeping…" Brittany allows a smile to grace her lips, hoping to lessen the bite in her tone, as the familiar pull of uncertainty creeps back into her mind. They say for every 'joke' told there's a little bit of truth therein. "I was planning on letting you relax. You've had a long day."

"I want you close, babe… Will you join me? Or is that a weird thing to ask?"

Brittany chuckles as she slides her running shorts down her legs, "with all the other things we've shared, you think sitting in a bathtub together might be weird?"

"Yeah, I guess that's kinda silly."

Brittany winks at Santana as she swings her leg over the tub, "I guess it's a good thing I love you any way, huh?"

Santana pulls Brittany back into her arms while barely containing the joy she feels hearing the _love word_ flow so easily out of Brittany's mouth. Her breasts press against Brittany's back and she relaxes into the skin on skin touch. Allowing herself to enjoy the feeling of peace for the first time today, "the best thing, actually."

* * *

"Hey 'Tana, I'm here. Quinn and Britt are on their… what are you doing?" Puck walks over to the bench where Santana is seated and crosses his arms over his chest. When he walked into the apartment he hadn't seen Santana anywhere, but noticed her purse and shoes and jacket tossed on the couch. So he checked the roof.

"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm on the hot grandma in the apartments across the way."

"Stop playing dumb, you know I'm talking about the cigarettes. You don't smoke."

Santana stops flipping the package in her hands and squints up at Puck. He can see the worry lines etched across her furrowed brow and he knows it's a hopeless fight right now. Neither of them ever smoked on a regular basis. And if Maribel or Nicolas found out they'd be in a world of trouble. Santana's abuelo died of lung cancer and Maribel had made Santana and Benji and Puck promise to never smoke. In high school they had the occasional cigarette to appear cool, and on occasion they enjoyed a cigar or hookah, but it never became a habitual thing.

Now the only time either of them looks twice at a cigarette is when stress overwhelms them. Sometimes when the craving would hit they would buy a pack and smoke one before throwing the rest of the package into the trash. Or, if things were really bad, they would have a lesbro night and only smoke when they were drinking. Kinda like that country song. Breakups were the usual triggers for those types of nights.

Santana ran her hand through her hair, trying to maintain her calm, and put the tip of the filter in between her lips, "look, Puck, just leave it alone."

"But, I can help if you just talk to me." He reached forward and rested his hand on her forearm.

Santana jerked back from the contact and stood up, pushing the full pack of cigarettes into Puck's chest and simultaneously dropping the unlit cigarette to the ground. "I don't need you to be a knight coming to my rescue. I'm capable of handling it on my own."

He let her storm back inside the apartment and bent down to pick up the discarded cigarette, before he followed maintaining a bit of distance. Whatever was on her mind was obviously wearing her thin. But, if she didn't want his help, there was nothing he could do except wait for the storm to blow over. Lest he wanted to feel the full brunt of her misplaced anger.

He walked in to the kitchen area trying to decide on a way to smooth things over, "I won't bring it up again. I'm sorry for pushing it."

Santana offers him a slight nod. She knows he's only looking out for her wellbeing and would do anything in his power to help. Sebastian already assumed Santana would have her "guard dog", as he so _fondly_ referred to Puck, on his case soon enough. But the bad blood between Puck and Sebastian wouldn't end well for anyone involved. _I'm a strong independent woman. I can handle that asshole on my own._

So, she keeps his sudden appearance to herself. It's been three days since Sebastian showed up at the shelter unannounced. Three days of text messages reminding Santana that he wanted to talk this upcoming Sunday. Three days of the constant reminder of his shady past and a subtle hint at what could come if she didn't meet with him as requested.

_Santana don't make this harder on yourself. Just meet with me next week. Surely you don't want this to get out of hand like last time. The press would eat this story out of my hand._

"-ama Lo and Benji. What do you think?"

Santana looks up at Puck, her brain finally registering that he was still talking. "Um, what?"

Puck chuckles and pats her on the shoulder, pointing to calendar on his phone again. "I said that since mama Lo and Benji's birthdays are right around the corner we should work on their gift. Do you have any ideas?"

"I honestly have no idea. I'd love to fly home and surprise them, but there's too much going on right now to try to get away. We can try to think of something together, right? Ohh, and thanks for reminding me—I need to send Britt's mom flowers."

"What? Why? Have you finally gotten over your paranoia and talked to the lady?"

Santana rolls her eyes and nods while grabbing a few pans from the cabinet and dry ingredients from the cupboard, "yes, Noah, I've actually talked to her. Brittany was on a video chat with her earlier this week and I just said hi to her as I was leaving for class. Besides, her birthday is coming up too so I thought flowers would be a good start."

"See, she's not so bad. Good thinking trying to butter up the future in-law. Maybe I should do that before meeting Russell and Judy over break…" He smirked and winked at his friend, knowing full well she was still a little bit intimidated at meeting Brittany's mom. And, though his demeanor might say otherwise, he's still just as terrified of meeting Quinn's parents.

"So, what are you making? Want some help?"

"You and I both know you don't cook. And if you stay in here any longer you'll end up eating everything and I won't have anything to cook." Santana turns to look at Puck who's popping grapes into his mouth. She hands him the smaller bowl of fruit and pushes him out of the kitchen, "go play a game or watch TV. Just stay out of here and out of my way."

She walks back over to the counter, picking up her phone to look over her to-do list again when she notices a missed text message:

**4 days. - Seb**

* * *

"Holy cow, something smells great!" Brittany walks into the living room with arms full of bags. Quinn slowly filing in behind her. They had spent the afternoon shopping. Since she hadn't come from an area that experienced much snow (like at all unless you count her snowboarding trips), Brittany needed a heavier jacket for the upcoming colder weather. Quinn had insisted on going with claiming it as "bestie time" though both of them knew it was just because she wanted an excuse to go shopping. She slips her shoes off and carries her bags up to her room before Santana can see the surprise Britt has for her.

"Hey Britt, hey babe." Puck takes the bags from Quinn's hands and sets them on the couch so he can wrap his girlfriend in a hug. "She's been in there all afternoon and won't let me come in. I'm starving, though."

Quinn chuckles into Puck's chest and lifts her head to see where Brittany is. Once she notices the other blonde is up the stairs and out of earshot she lowers her voice, "Did you figure out what was wrong?"

"No. I threw the pack out and have stayed out of her way. But I was being serious when I said she's been in there all afternoon."

"Well, whatever is on her mind must be big if she's even keeping you out of the loop. I tried to test the waters with Britt, but she's been all smiles and rainbows today. Apparently they finally spilled their feelings. They both dropped the 'Love' bomb."

A smile pulls at Puck's lips, "my girlfriend, the detective… Wait, you don't think that's what she's freaking out about do you?"

Quinn thinks over that for a moment. She assumed that since Santana had admitted her love to Brittany as well that there wouldn't be any stress over that, but maybe she was misreading the situation. "I don't think that's it, but we can see how they act tonight. Plus, we have the football game tomorrow. Maybe she's just overwhelmed with school work and her internship?"

Puck nods, "yeah, maybe. She hasn't been working at Slay much lately. She's had to cut her office time back to a few hours a week since she has so much other stuff on her plate. I wonder if she still has lunch with Mercedes. Maybe she'll know what's got her so stressed."

Brittany walks back down the stairs and into the kitchen, Quinn and Puck walking through the door hand-in-hand right behind her. "Holy cow, San! Are we having a party?"

Santana, in her own little world of 'what-ifs' and 'contingency plans', let's out a surprised yelp and knocks the container of baking powder to the ground. She spins around to face them—one hand clutched to the edge of the counter and the other gripping tightly to the fabric above her heart. And as she looks up at all three people staring at her expectantly, she swallows the end of her scream and fights the desire to hide from Quinn. If anyone has the most experience dealing with a stressed out Santana it has to be Quinn. She's been privy to Santana's habits while she's stressed, and right now, those greenish eyes are burning holes into the side of her skull because the kitchen counters are covered with the evidence.

Red velvet cookies on cooling racks.

Peanut butter fudge still in the pan.

Caramel Flan resting to cool off.

Cupcakes waiting to be iced.

And the stove wasn't any better: Spaghetti with homemade sauce, beef enchiladas, and what looked like fixings for baked eggplant something or another.

The oven timer breaks the silence and all three sets of eyes look on expectantly while Santana pulls a dish of macaroni and cheese out of the oven.

Santana bites her bottom lip, willing her voice to come out normal and not betray the stress that's eating away at her, "I might have gotten _a little_ carried away…"

* * *

A/N2: Well, the girls finally said "I love you" and San has moved one step closer to telling Brittany her secret. Not to worry, next chapter will have the girls sharing more fun and laughs than the last few chapters.

Tell me what you think will happen, you know—if you want to. I'm curious to see your thoughts on the reason Sebastian is back and what he has planned.


End file.
